


I Will Fix You

by khaleesiofalicante



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, but you just think I might be, bye, ps this shit angsty af, this fic is not being written while I am on crack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 64,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26863897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khaleesiofalicante/pseuds/khaleesiofalicante
Summary: How far are you willing to go for the one you love? How far are you willing to go to make sure they are safe? How far are you willing to go to fix their heart? How far is too far?The story of Detective Alec Lightwood and Assistant District Attorney Magnus Bane, who try to fix each other's lives to make sure the other is safe. But little do they know that trying to fix things can sometimes leave them more broken than before.A Malec Law Enforcement AU that is angsty af.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 58
Kudos: 103





	1. Breonna Taylor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, shit. Here we go again. 
> 
> Alright before we dive into this fic - three important things. 
> 
> 1\. This is a law enforcement au and it is going to be a bumpy ride. This fic deals with a lot of topics that can sensitive and painful. If it is triggering in anyway, please skip it. Your mental health should be your first priority. 
> 
> 2\. While this might seem like a bad time to be writing a law enforcement au, I feel like there is never a good time for it either. This is just me trying to get this story out of my head. While this story will have a happy ending, reality is not the same. So, please keep fighting for those who require our support. 
> 
> 3\. I have no background in law enforcement (unless you consider an unhealthy binging of every cop show ever) so there might be some factual inaccuracies (also because I am not from the states lmao) But I'll try to do my best!!
> 
> Okay that's it for now. Happy reading :)

Alec removed his sunglasses and squinted at the gate. Nobody had gone in or out for last couples of hours. It wasn’t that surprising considering it was a scorching hot day that kept most New Yorkers – other than a few sorry souls such as himself – indoors. And of course, there was also the fact that Blackwell was extremely paranoid about his safety and hasn’t stepped out of the house at all for the last two days.

Alec couldn’t blame him considering that he was parked outside Blackwell’s residence, waiting for the asshole to make a move. But unfortunately, Blackwell was a powerful asshole with friends in high places.

They knew that Blackwell was guilty of aiding and abetting Valentine Morgenstern. They knew Blackwell had even been one of Valentine’s closest confidants. They knew Blackwell handled Morgenstern’s sex trafficking business. But they didn’t have any hard proof other than whispers and rumors and a shit load of gut instinct.

He was confident that if they had access to Blackwell’s residence, they could find something that would tie him to Valentine. But they didn’t have enough evidence to get a search warrant. Until then, their captain had ordered them to monitor the guy at all times. Alec had spent the last two days sitting outside the villa, keeping an eye on every single person who went in and out.

He had even gone through the garbage disposed by Blackwell’s maid to make sure the fucker didn’t try to get rid of any evidence.

There had been nothing but fast food containers and what looked like diapers full of shit.

Blackwell knew he was being watched and he was fucking with them.

“You chose this job, buddy!” Alec had muttered to himself in frustration as he threw the bag of shitty diapers back in the garbage disposal.

Back in the car, he laid his head against the seat and waited, turning on the stereo.

Most people didn’t know but police worked involved a lot of waiting – and an unrealistic amount of patience. It wasn’t always running around and fixing shit as they showed in movies. Cases didn’t solve themselves in forty minutes as they did in TV shows. In reality, there was an alarming amount of doing nothing and a buttload of paperwork.

They really fooled naïve children with Die Hard.

Of course, there were some cops, Alec could certainly think of one, who somehow turned every case into an action movie just to be extra.

A small smile crept up on his face at the memory of his partner who had once took out his phone, played ‘Bad’ by Michael Jackson, before running off to chase a criminal.

Alec had scolded the other man for being callous, but his partner had been too busy celebrating his victory – because of course he had caught the guy.

Despite his attitude and recklessness, Alec could always rely on his partner to get the job done.

The beeping sound of the automatic gate opening immediately caught his attention. His eyes instinctively scanned the neighborhood, which was somehow always creepily empty.

Alec supposed he shouldn’t be surprised considering Blackwell lived in Malba, an affluent neighborhood in Queens. He wondered why it was impossibly difficult to find people be out and about in these neighbourhoods - children playing out in the yard or old couples going for walks in the park or families throwing barbecues.

But then Alec remembered his own family. He could never imagine his parents going for a walk in the park and they certainly weren’t the kind to throw barbeques in the backyard. Maybe all rich families were the same, Alec thought. He desperately wished he was wrong. He hadn’t been a happy kid and it hurt him to think that there were so many out there who felt the same loneliness.

Alec shook his head to bring himself out of the bubble of self-pity and focused back on the villa. A young boy carrying multiple plastic bags walked into the entrance, which stretched out as far as Alec could see.

Great, Alec thought, more fast food containers and diapers to look forward to.

The boy walked back after a couple of minutes, counting the money. He smiled and waved at Alec as he got into his bike and rode away.

Blackwell knew. Every minute Alec stood outside the gate waiting for a miracle to happen, Blackwell was inside – eating prawn wontons and scheming his escape plan.

He gritted his teeth in frustration and slammed the steering wheel.

“There is no point in punching the car, Alec!” he scolded himself.

These were two occupational hazards of being a cop – You are perpetually frustrated and also, you talk to yourself. A lot.

There was a buzzing in his jacket and Alec pulled his phone out his pocket and turn down the stereo.

“Anything good?” his captain asked from the other end.

“Blackwell had paneer for dinner last night,” Alec replied. “There’s that.”

“How do you know what he had for dinner?” the voice asked curiously.

“Trust me,” Alec shuddered. “You don’t want to know.”

There was a chuckle on the other end of the phone which was followed by a tired sigh.

“We are working on getting the arrest warrant, Alec,” Lydia said reassuringly.

“I know,” Alec replied. 

They really were working hard. Alec knew that. They were all pulling extra shifts and overnights to make sure that they rounded up every single person who had worked with Valentine in any way.

It was the only way to make sure that there were no loose ends in the case. Valentine’s operation had been bigger than anything they have handled, and they had to make sure they closed the case once and for all.

“I know stake outs are not exactly the sexiest part of the job,” Lydia said. “But you know there is pressure fro-”

“From the governor,” Alec finished for her.

Ever since they had started working on Valentine’s case a year ago, there was “pressure from the governor” to get the thing wrapped up as soon as possible. The man seemed weirdly interested in Valentine’s case – or rather cleaning it up. Alec supposed it shouldn’t be surprising that since it could affect the second term of his leadership.

That was another fun fact about being a cop that TV shows usually mellow out – they were forever drowning in bureaucracy.

“If we get Blackwell,” Lydia was saying now. “We can get to the others. We know he was Valentine’s right-hand man. He would know who else was involved – people higher up. People we don’t even know about yet.”

She was right. While Valentine had been nothing sort of a celebrity among criminals, not everyone he worked with made themselves known.

People like Seelie Queen and Iris Rouse were already arrested and were currently in the hands of the justice system. But Alec knew there were others – they all did. There were others they didn’t know about. Others lurking in the shadows and watching them – and probably laughing at their ignorance.

Alec knew that without catching these people, these people who hid behind their money and power, they can never really close the case. If they didn't catch the rest, Valentine’s operation would continue as it had never been stopped.

“We’ll get Blackwell,” he promised her. “We’ll get the other ones too.”

“I really hope so, Alec,” she replied, in what his colleagues called the oh-shit voice. “No more fuck ups.”

Alec closed his eyes and winced at the words, the memory making his stomach clench.

“No more fuck ups,” Alec repeated the words – which had sort of turned into their precinct mantra.

He put the phone back in his pocket and started to monitor Blackwell’s villa again – an additional ounce of pressure settling in on his shoulders.

Alec remembered the day he had joined the force. Despite the hour-long lecture from his then captain about ‘being realistic’ and ‘keeping expectations low’, Alec couldn’t have been more excited on his first day. Both of his parents had been cops and Alec had dreamt of the day ever since he dressed up as a cop for Halloween when he was seven.

He remembered his seven-year-old self, running from door to door, collecting candy and promising to protect the innocent and defend the weak.

Of course, all his dreams and innocence and hope had gone to hell when Valentine Morgenstern had moved into New York.

Valentine Morgenstern was one of the biggest traffickers in the state of New York. The man had been knee-deep in shipping all sorts of stuff – drugs, arms, money, people and shit load of other illegal and inhumane things.

But nobody had known or suspected anything at all – solely because Valentine had once been a cop.

There had been whispers about his dealings, even in the 90s when Valentine had just started out a rookie dealer. But any rumor had been shrugged off by the detectives at the time.

 _It couldn’t be Valentine,_ they had said, _he was the best detective we ever had._

This power and privilege and negligence had helped Valentine build his empire further. He had become one of the most notorious criminals in the state – even beyond that too. Alec now knew that Valentine’s operations extended much beyond their city.

Nobody had questioned Valentine when he started out and when people began to ask questions – he had become too powerful. People either admired him or were afraid of him. No one came forward to report him - And Valentine, who was no means an idiot, had every single trace covered and accounted for.

The detectives at the precinct had all but given up Valentine and had moved on to other cases. They had been thinking of handing over to the case entirely to the FBI and decided to wash off their hands off Valentine - once and for all.

Alec and his peers, the new recruits at the time, had been advised to move on too.

But they couldn’t.

Alec, along with his close friends at the precinct, had kept digging and digging and digging. It took them almost half a year to realize that they could never bring Valentine to justice. And every day they failed; Valentine had become more powerful.

Alec himself had been on the verge of giving up when Jocelyn Morgenstern had turned up at the precinct one day literally from nowhere.

Alec would never forget that day. 

The obnoxious yet familiar revving of the motorcycle engine brought him back to the present and Alec put his sunglasses back on and got off his car – a black 1969 Chevrolet Camro.

His sister often teased that Alec’s car was as ancient as his soul and sometimes Alec wondered if she was right. They had been both been through so much and seen too much. Alec tapped the hood of the car fondly.

“I’m sorry I punched you before,” he apologized to Irene, who had been baptized by his sister. “This shit gets to you sometimes, you know?”

“You’re the one who talks to yourself and your car and yet they make me go for mandatory therapy.”

An apple flew towards him and Alec caught it with expertise – partly due to his police training and partly due to years of catching stuff his partner kept throwing at him.

Jace took his helmet and placed it carefully on his cruiser, which Izzy had named Johnny.

“Glad to see you are wearing a helmet again,” Alec grinned as he bit into the apple. Sometimes an apple a day kept over concerned partners away. “Your therapist talked you into that?”

“Actually, it was Clary,” Jace corrected. “She pointed out that if I wear a helmet, I can protect my hair.”

Alec could still remember meeting Clary for the first time.

“I will help you,” Jocelyn had offered that day. “I will help you take down Valentine if you protect my daughter.”

Clarissa Morgenstern, or Clary Fairchild, was allegedly Valentine’s daughter. While it was common knowledge that Valentine had a wife, no one had known about a daughter at all.

Despite her lost look and confused state, by which Alec had reckoned she didn't know much about what was going on either, Clary had a face that said 'do not fuck with me'. A face most people would approach with caution but one that Jace had fallen in love with on first sight. 

So of course, Alec had been nothing but suspicious of the little red headed girl. She might have looked exactly like her mother, but she had her father’s fierce jaw and his frustrating stubbornness.

Everything had changed almost overnight.

Clary had been taken into witness protection and Jocelyn had given them everything they had needed to arrest Valentine.

Including the names of people who had aided Valentine.

Alec still clearly remembered crumpling the piece of paper in his fist and throwing it at her face.

“She is a liar,” he had screamed. “She is a liar just like her husband.”

He still didn’t why he had screamed that day. Everyone was standing right next to him and yet Alec had screamed, nevertheless. He wondered if his heart had known the truth – even then.

“I am not lying, detective,” she had said softly, her voice full of pity. “I am sorry about your parents.”

Everything had changed almost overnight.

“People wear helmets to protect their head, Jace,” Alec said now. “Not their hair.”

“People really do need to sort their priorities,” Jace replied with a shudder.

He walked over to Alec’s side – where he had sworn to be since their very first day at the precinct. “Anything?”

“Nada,” Alec shook his head.

“Fuck,” Jace swore. “We don’t have much time. He would run away to Botswana and we will still be here standing and doing nothing.”

Alec raised an eyebrow. “Botswana?”

“One of the safest countries in the world,” Jace explained. “You really need to watch some documentaries while you are on stake out.”

“Jace, we are not supposed to be watching anything while we are on stake out. We are supposed to be watching the target. That’s the job. Literally.”

“Listen to a podcast then,” Jace countered. “Jeez, your excuses are really weak.”

“It’s not an exc-”

They both turned their heads sharply when they heard the automatic gate beep again. Alec reckoned it might be more fast food but to his surprise, Blackwell stomped towards them, wearing a red kimono and carrying a margarita

Alec, Jace, Lydia and all the others had been busting their asses off to make the city safer and here was this guy, having the time of his life.

Alec used all of his self-control to act with decorum. Unfortunately, his partner wasn’t familiar with words such as self-control or decorum.

“Hey, asshole!” Jace called. “We are onto you!”

A grin spread across Blackwell’s face and he waved at them cheerfully.

Valentine Morgenstern may have been one of the biggest criminals in the state, but it takes more than one person to run an operation of that scale. So, Valentine had his confidants who helped him run his empire. Valentine had relied on these people to carry out his orders and maintain the business. If it wasn’t for these people, Valentine might not have reached the heights he eventually did. So, all of these people, including Blackwell, every single one in his inner circle, were responsible just as much as Valentine.

“Look who we have here!” Blackwell announced dramatically. “The traitor and the murderer!”

When Jocelyn Fairchild gave up the names of everyone who was involved in Valentine’s operation – she didn’t leave anyone out. She had given them the names of the big sharks including Seelie Queen and Pangborn and Blackwell and the names of those who Alec tried to forget every night.

“But…But they are my parents,” Alec had protested then – sounding like a petulant child. “They wouldn’t have…They couldn’t have.”

It had been impossible to catch Valentine for almost two decades. The team before Alec and Jace, which included Alec’s parents, had given up and passed the baton onto the younger generation. But it turned out that the operation had been unsuccessful not only because Valentine had been smart – but also because he had been resourceful.

The reason why Valentine couldn’t be caught by the detectives of New York City had been because those detectives had not wanted him to be caught at all. The worse part of all of this was when Alec had heard of his parent’ involvement, some part of him – just the tiniest one, hadn’t been surprised at all.

 _“You’ve always known, haven’t you?”_ the voice had whispered inside his head. _“You have always known there was a darkness inside them.”_

When Alec had been given the opportunity to lead the investigation, he had promised himself that he would do what it takes to get the job done. His lieutenant had advised him that he would have to make hard choices. But Alec had never imagined that these hard choices included arresting your own parents.

But Alec had done it anyway. He had arrested his own parents and cut off any police protection Valentine had at the time and thereby made him a more vulnerable target.

And after that, Jace and Alec had caught Valentine’s henchmen one by one. It took them a long while and a lot to help, but they did it. The empire had slowly started to fall down and one day the king himself fell.

“You, Lightwood! I can’t even look at your fucking face,” Blackwell said in disgust, directly looking at Alec’s face. “You betrayed your own family. Your blood. You have no loyalty. Your parents are in exile because of you.”

Of course, despite the arrest and all the evidence, his parents had wriggled out of the sentencing. They had money and power and privilege. So, of course they had decided to abuse it one last time. They had hired the best lawyers money can buy to get away with everything they had done. Alec had never been more disappointed in them than during that moment.

They had confessed to their involvement but had made a deal to get immunity and protection in exchange for more information about Valentine, information even Jocelyn had not known.

It was how his team had learned that other than the names Jocelyn had provided, there were more people. If the ones Jocelyn had provided were the big sharks, then the ones his parents had hinted at were the killer whales of the operation. Even Robert and Maryse Lightwood had not known the names of these collaborators, but the information they had provided had been worth enough to cut them the deal they had demanded.

The state had given them the deal claiming the information had been useful. But in Alec’s opinion, no information was useful or worthwhile enough to forgive his parents. There was nothing they could say or do that would make him forgive them – not that they bothered to try and earn his forgiveness.

The only good thing that had come out of the arrest had been the fact that both his parents had been dismissed from duty effective immediately. His parents had been a part of the force for almost three decades. His father had been trying for the position of Commissioner at the time and his mother had been the acting Captain of their precinct.

Now they lived in Washington, working with some shady politician no doubt, never being able to return to One Police Plaza in New York. Alec desperately wished some part of him missed them. But it was hard to miss someone you never really loved.

He did miss his little brother– who went to a boarding school in London. He was taken care of by some of Alec’s more reliable family friends. It hadn’t been safe for Max in New York two years ago and it wasn’t safe for him now.

Alec wondered if it ever would be.

“My parents are in exile because they broke the law and aided a federal criminal,” Alec corrected the other man. “People get what they deserve.”

“Oh yeah?” Blackwell raised a perfectly plucked brow. “Then what the fuck is he doing outside?”

Beside him, Jace had gone pale as the white linen on a hospital bed.

Alec hated the color white, he associated it with too many painful things – white hospital linens being one of them.

“He did what he had to do,” Alec snapped to defend his partner, but immediately regretted his choice of words.

“Don’t we all, Detective?” Blackwell grinned. “Don’t we all?”

“We don’t have to explain shit all to you,” Jace said then, his palms turning into fists at his side. “You sell women for a living, Blackwell. You ship them like livestock just so you can buy yourself a fancier villa. So, don’t lecture me about morals, you bald fuck!”

A streak of red flashed in Blackwell’s face as patted his hair down. The other man was offended more about Jace’s comment on his declining hairline than his choice of profession.

People really do need to sort out their priorities, Alec thought.

“Listen, detectives,” Blackwell said, his grin nothing but fake. “While I do appreciate the personal security, I am gonna have to ask you boys to leave. You are scaring the neighbors.”

“What neighbors?” Alec snorted. “Mr. Blackwell, we are within our right here. We are neither not trespassing. Our jurisdiction clearly-”

“Yes, yes,” Blackwell waved impatiently. “I knew you would say some nonsense like that, which is why I got backup.”

He picked up a phone from one of the pockets on his kimono, which made Alec wonder if all kimonos had pockets, and walked away gesturing wildly with his margarita.

“Shit. Shit. Shit,” Jace kicked at nothing. “He lawyered up.”

“Of course he fucking lawyered up,” Alec sighed and rubbed his face. “We have been watching him for days now. If only we had that search warrant the-”

“We could break in,” Jace offered quietly.

“We are supposed to uphold the law, Jace!” Alec said in a voice that often got him booed by Jace. “Not break it.”

“But he is going to get away,” Jace said in a voice that often reminded Alec that Jace was the youngest detective in their precinct. “What are we going to do then?”

Alec put a hand on Jace’s shoulder. “I guess we’ll follow him to Botswana. “

Jace looked up at him and smiled. “Okay now I am lowkey hoping he runs away because Botswana has the biggest fucking hippos.”

Alec was only starting to chuckle at that when Blackwell returned, looking more frustrated than before.

“I can’t get through to my lawyer, but he should be here any minute,” he said through gritted teeth. “So, I suggest you leave immediately.”

Alec and Jace gave each other that look – the one where they communicated quietly and figured out what to do next. But before they could silently communicate a plan, a red Honda Civic zoomed towards them.

And there he was.

He gracefully climbed out of the car and strutted toward them waving a piece of paper.

Everything about him was in place. He was always so put together. Always. The essence of him seemed unrealistic. Magical. Forever incomprehensible.

People who looked at him could never figure him out. People were too busy trying to not to get caught staring.

“Is he wearing eyeliner?” Blackwell asked in a ludicrous tone.

“Yes,” it was Alec who answered. “I assume it’s Maybelline.”

“That’s insane,” Blackwell made a face.

“It most definitely is,” Jace said. “It’s obviously Chanel.”

Blackwell looked at them helplessly and then looked back at the man who now joined their conversation. 

“But he is a man,” Blackwell pointed out half in confusion and half in frustration.

“Gender is a social construct, sir,” Magnus Bane said with a smile and held out the papers. “You’ve been served.”

“I-What?” Blackwell stammered. “But you are my lawyer.”

“Magnus serves the city,” Jace said proudly. “Not your criminal ass.”

“Assistant District Attorney Magnus Bane at your service,” Magnus gave one of his world class smiles. “And please don’t wait up for your friend from Rey & Associates. They won’t be joining you any longer.”

“But I hired a lawyer,” Blackwell protested. “One of the best.”

“Well, clearly your standards are in need of a dire update,” Magnus muttered. “Sir, I am not here to chat. This is an arrest warrant.”

Jace quietly said 'yay' and Alec couldn't help but grin. 

“But I didn’t do any-” Blackwell started and then stopped. Alec, who was now grabbing the handcuffs from his backseat, almost laughed at how even Blackwell couldn’t admit that he was innocent. “But there is no evidence. There is nothing against me. You have no proof I worked with Valentine!”

“Oh, this has nothing to do with Valentine,” Magnus said, his silk like voice suddenly sounding like ice. “You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. So, please shut the fuck up.” Magnus turned to Jace with a grin. “Did I get that right?”

“Almost,” Jace grinned as he grabbed the cuffs Alec threw at him. “Leonard Blackwell, you are under arrest. Before we ask you any questions, you must understand what your rights are. You have the right to remain silent. You are not re-”

The martini glass fell on the ground and shattered as Blackwell knocked Jace away with his elbow and took off running, most probably to Botswana.

“Goddamnit, I already did my cardio for the day,” Jace hissed as he put on his air pods. “Alexa, play Highway to Hell.”

Alec couldn’t help but hold back a chuckle as he watched Jace run after Blackwell. He turned back to Magnus, who was also watching Jace, who had somehow caught up with Blackwell already.

Now that he was close to Magnus, Alec could see things that Magnus expertly hid from others - thanks good make up and great self-esteem. There, mixed underneath the glitter and the eyeliner, the faintest line of a dark circle.

Alec wondered how many hours Magnus had stayed up to pull this off. People always told Alec that he worked too hard. Alec often wondered what they would say if they ever met Magnus.

In the distance, Alec could see Jace walking Blackwell towards them, all cuffed and secured this time. Jace put Blackwell in the back of Irene and walked toward them.

“I know I shouldn’t be surprised anymore,” Jace told Magnus. “But how the fuck did you pull tha-”

“I lied. His lawyers could be here any moment. I made sure Lorenzo is occupied in court. And Blackwell was not wrong about him,” Magnus interrupted him. "He is good – even if he is a heartless asshole. The warrant is not for trafficking. So, Lorenzo might try to bail him out of this. You need to find that evidence. I only bought you some extra time. You need to go in there and find something if you want to lock him up for good.”

Jace looked at Alec, as he often did, and cocked his head – looking for a go ahead.

“You heard him. Let’s go,” Alec nodded. “And get Underhill in here right now.”

Within fifteen minutes, the entire Villa was upside down. Underhill, who was better than any sniffer dog Alec knew, was going through every single surface determined to find what Alec called ‘something-anything’.

The fact that they didn’t know what they were looking for didn’t really help. It wasn’t like Blackwell had a secret basement full of sex workers he was trying to ship to Bangkok over the weekend.

He looked at Underhill, who looked bone tired and stressed, but not any less determined than before. In this own way, Alec knew how hard it was to look for something without knowing what exactly you were looking for. So, he didn’t want to push Underhill. But the clock was ticking.

“Anything?”

Underhill shook his head. “I know it’s here, Alec. He didn’t leave the house since we put a pin on him. He must have hid it somewhere.”

“Then we just gotta find it,” Alec nodded tightly.

“And fast,” Jace said as he joined them. “ETA on the lawyer - 10 fucking minutes.”

“Shit,” Underhill said in alarm. “Shit!”

“Did we check the basement?” Jace asked desperately.

“I think he is a little smarter than hiding sex workers in his basement, Jace!” Alec rolled his eyes.

“I am just saying the basement is the classic hiding spot,” Jace argued. “It’s where people usually hide stuff.”

“That’s true,” Underhill said slowly. “The basement is usually where people hide stuff.”

Underhill shuffled through the papers on the floor and found a torch.

“Herondale, you are a genius!” he yelled and ran up the stairs.

“He does know the basement is downstairs, right?” Jace asked worriedly.

Before Alec could answer, the door slammed open and Lorenzo Rey walked in a crisp suit.

“Ugh,” he sighed in disgust as he took in the scene around him. “Do you people have to make a mess every goddamn time?”

Lorenzo Rey, or as Jace liked to call him ‘Loser Rey’, was not Alec’s favorite person.

Magnus had been right. Blackwell had indeed hired the best in the city. Lorenzo Rey was the best criminal defense attorney in New York. Alec didn’t have anything against Rey personally. He actually appreciated people who were able to do their job well. But what he didn’t appreciate was the fact that Rey kept trying to get out the people Alec tried so hard to keep in.

Alec didn’t appreciate the fact that Rey chose money over morals.

Magnus walked down the stairs that Underhill had disappeared from and Alec saw Lorenzo’s lips curl in disgust.

That’s another reason why Alec didn’t appreciate Lorenzo Rey.

Anyone who saw Magnus Bane and felt nothing but admiration and appreciation can fuck right off.

“We have an arrest warrant,” Jace stepped forward.

“Of course you do,” Rey smirked. “Obtained over a technicality.”

“He slept with a minor, Lorenzo,” Magnus said sharply, and Alec heard the whole room go silent for a second. 

“He did what now?” Jace said in shock.

“Since you people couldn’t find anything solid on these _trafficking claims_ , I see that you are trying to get him under false accusations,” Lorenzo seethed.

“False accusations?” Magnus’ voice thundered. “He slept with a 16-year-old. That’s statuary rape!”

“But didn’t this incident happen eleven years ago?” Lorenzo inquired. “Blackwell was in his early twenties then.”

“She was still sixteen, man!” Jace pointed out exasperatedly.

“You do know he paid her well?” Lorenzo asked, sounding bored. “She was a whore.”

“She was a child,” Magnus snapped. “Your client broke the law.”

“Well, we shall see what the good people of New York have to say about that,” Lorenzo chuckled. “You know the jury is not going to pick a slut over a man of reputation.”

“Yes, we are all very aware of how the legal system has been fucked by the patriarchy,” Alec stepped forward, having enough now. “I guess we will see you in court.”

“Oh, I don’t think we will have to go that far,” Lorenzo grinned in satisfaction. “Rey & Associates already has a team working together to get Mr. Blackwell on bail. Now unless you have something substantial to ascertain your claims, I do suggest you leave the premises immediately. And make sure to put everything back in place for Christ’s sake.”

Magnus looked at Jace who in turn looked at Alec. Alec didn’t really know where to look.

But he didn’t haven’t to figure it out since Underhill came running down the stairs singing ‘We are the Champions’.

“Oh,” he said when he noticed the tension among the group downstairs. “Um, I found it.”

“You found out?” Lorenzo snapped.

“Eh, the evidence,” Underhill waved the file in his hand. “They are records of financial transactions to Bangkok. There is a shit load of this upstairs and some of the transactions are to other known associates of Valentine.”

Lorenzo blinked once before stamping his foot hard on the floor. “Goddamnit, Blackwell!”

“If only Blackwell had been a little eco-friendly, huh?” Jace grinned and ran up the stairs. “Let’s box it all up, boys!”

Alec saw Magnus escort Lorenzo out the door as they spoke in tense tones. Alec turned to Underhill.

“How?” he chuckled.

“Jace was right,” Underhill grinned. “People always think of the basement when it comes to hiding stuff. It’s literally the first place we all think of. Blackwell must have known that too.”

“So, there is nothing in the basement?” Alec asked.

“Of course not,” Underhill replied. “We always assume people bury things underneath. But smart people actually hide things in the ceiling. Less accessible and not so obvious, you know? I mean I should know; when I was in high school, I hid all my playboy magazines in my bedroom ceiling.”

Alec chuckled and shook his head fondly. “Good work, Underhill. Make sure they don’t leave anything out.”

“Gotcha,” Underhill winked and ran up the stairs.

Alec walked back to the entrance to find Magnus talking to Lorenzo at the door.

“It’s not worth it, Lorenzo,” he heard Magnus say, softly now. “I know your family has been in the business for decades, but that doesn’t mean you should follow their footsteps. You don’t have to do this. You can choose to be better.”

“We can’t choose where we come from, Magnus,” Lorenzo replied, nothing about his tone was snarky or angry or annoyed. It was only sad. “You of all people should know that.”

As Lorenzo walked away, Alec noticed Magnus’ shoulders sag in exhaustion. But the moment he turned around and saw Alec standing in the threshold, he smiled so brightly that all the exhaustion almost disappeared from his face.

Almost.

“Detective,” Magnus nodded.

“Mr. Bane,” Alec nodded back.

“Where are your friends?” Magnus asked, looking around.

“Upstairs,” Alec replied. “Bagging up evidence.”

“Are you telling me it’s just the two of us on this floor?” Magnus asked mischievously. “All alone?”

“Uh oh,” Alec said. “You smell like trouble.”

“No,” Magnus replied, taking one step forward. “I smell like sandalwood.”

“No,” Alec corrected, moving forward himself. “You smell like trouble.”

“And what does trouble smell like?” Magnus asked, taking a step closer.

Alec took that one last step and closed the gap between them.

“It smells like sandalwood,” he whispered against Magnus’ lips before pulling him in by the jacket.

The kiss felt like the very first one – filled with every ounce of love they had for each other.

Alec remembered meeting Magnus for the first time at the Manhattan Criminal Court House.

Alec remembered Magnus volunteering to assist the precinct with the case to help Jocelyn and her daughter.

Alec remembered forgetting how to breathe.

He had walked up to Magnus on the same evening, not being able to stay away from him any longer. He had wanted to ask him out, to kiss him, to love him. 

“Do you come here often?”

Alec had asked the other man, trying to be all suave and failing miserably.

Magnus, who was known as the youngest district attorney in the state, had look around the courthouse, then at his badge and had blinked.

“Um, I work here.”

They had laughed about it later, when they were cuddled up against each other in Magnus’ bed. Alec had promised to be not to chaotic with his flirting in the future and Magnus had replied that there was no need since it had worked on him anyway.

“I don’t know about you,” Magnus said as he pulled away from Alec now. “But I could do with a martini or ten.”

Alec ran a thumb underneath’s Magnus’ eye.

“11 years,” Alec whispered, and Magnus looked lost. “Lorenzo said the Blackwell case you found was from 11 years ago.”

“Yes,” Magnus nodded. “That bastard really thought he could get away with it. I am going to make sure sure he serves time for this - not just for all the trafficking business.”

“Magnus,” Alec said seriously. “How many case files did you have to go through to find this? Did you even sleep at all?”

“Oh, I slept some,” Magnus said. “Trust me, some cases just put you right to sleep.”

“Magnus,” Alec said warningly.

Most people would overlook the exhaustion and weariness underneath the humor and sarcasm, but Alec was intimately familiar with it – thanks to both Jace and Magnus.

“I am fine, my love,” Magnus put his hands on either side of Alec’s shoulders and looked up at him. “Blackwell would have slipped through your hands if we didn’t find anything on him. I know you needed this.”

“I always need things,” Alec said tiredly. “But that doesn’t mean you have to keep helping me with them.”

“Fine fine,” Magnus grumbled. “I promise to be more selfish in the future.”

Alec smiled – just a little.

“Alec, I know this case is important to you,” Magnus said softly.

 _No more fuck ups_ , he heard Lydia’s voice echo in his head.

“Valentine tried to hurt a lot of people. He tried to hurt people I care about,” Magnus reminded him. “This case is important to me too.”

Alec knew that to be true. He had no doubt that Magnus was a good fucking prosecutor – the best in the state. He knew that Magnus took his job as ADA seriously.

But he also couldn’t ignore the fact that Magnus had to work harder, more so than usual, just to make sure that Alec was okay. 

_No more fuck ups_ , he heard his own voice.

“I am just doing my job, love,” Magnus whispered.

Alec looked up at him then. Magnus’ eyes were tired – but just as beautiful and soulful as they had been the first time he had gazed at them.

“Fine, fine,” Alec grumbled. “I promise to stop making everything about myself.”

Magnus smiled – just a little.

He put his arms around Alec and rested his head against Alec’s heart – the place where Alec safely kept Magnus’ own.

He remembered what Magnus had told him a long time ago, when Alec had held his boyfriend in his arms. 

_"I know of every law in this country that is supposed to protect me. I am constantly surrounded by security. And I work in the fucking court house, which is arguably one of the most guarded places in the city."_

He had leaned back against Alec's shoulder and kissed him softly on the neck. 

_"And yet, this is the only place I feel safe."_

His arms reflectively tightened around Magnus now, trying to protect Magnus from everything that threatened the light inside him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been trying to write this fic forever and it's finally here omg. 
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr @khaleesiofalicante
> 
> Updates will be weekly (please pray that I live up this to goal asdhdfkgjhdfkg)
> 
> Fun fact: In the US, black people have been 28% of those killed by police in 2020 despite being only 13% of the population. 
> 
> Visit https://www.standwithbre.com to learn more about Breonna Taylor.


	2. Rayshard Brooks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s been two years, Raphael,” Magnus chuckled now. “I know you secretly ship us.”
> 
> “I do no such thing,” Raphael said indignantly. “I just don’t like his vibes.”
> 
> “You said the same thing about Camille!” Magnus protested.
> 
> “Was I wrong though?” Raphael raised a brow.
> 
> “This will not do,” Magnus said adamantly. “I am going to find a fun activity for you two to do. How about bowling? You can bond over bowling and beer!”
> 
> “I would literally go back and do all four years of law school instead of going bowling with your boyfriend,” Raphael pointed out.
> 
> Court Cases, Smart lawyers, Crazy hooligans and Other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little tired for notes. 
> 
> Happy reading :)

There was always something so calming about the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse. Of course, for an outsider, nothing about the space would give that impression. It was always buzzing with people, looking for justice and freedom and hope. But Magnus had always found a sense of serenity within the chaos. Any time he stepped into the courthouse, he felt immediately grounded.

There are some places in our life that feel immediately familiar and safe. No matter how you are feeling at the time, the moment you step into that space, everything goes quiet – everything feels right.

Some people called this a safe space.

But the courthouse has never been a safe space for Magnus. Everyone here either admired him or hated him. There was no middle ground. It came with the territory, he guessed. So, no. He never felt safe in the courthouse. While feeling safe in one’s place was employment was mandatory for many, Magnus wasn’t one of those lucky bastards.

But even though he never felt safe here, he always enjoyed visiting the courthouse – because of that calmness that took over him the moment he entered.

Because even if he didn’t feel safe, in this space he had always felt like he belonged.

There are some places in our lives that do that. The moment you are there, you immediately feel enveloped in a bubble in belongingness. 

“There you are,” says the space as it surrounds you and grounds you. “I am glad you are back. It doesn’t feel right without you here.”

Magnus took in a took breath and walked into the courtroom.

Today was an important day as any. It was the trial of Seelie Queen. While Magnus did appreciate her flair in terms of branding herself through her name and her eccentric sense of fashion, he didn’t much appreciate the fact that she ran a drug trafficking ring on behalf of Valentine.

Magnus wasn’t sure if he would ever stop being surprised by the lack of empathy and disregard for law people had, but he knew it wasn’t going to be today. Despite having hired the best criminal defense attorneys from Rey & Associates, Magnus was quite sure that there was no chance that Ms. Queen was getting out of this.

Other than trafficking drugs to various parts within and outside of New York, she was also responsible for hiring what she called ‘bodyguards’ who were most clearly assassins to get rid of anyone and everyone in her way.

It was only a preliminary hearing to gets their ducks in a row. But Magnus still knew that her fate was sealed. Anyone who had aided Valentine Morgenstern had no hope of escaping the law.

Well, except for a couple of people of course.

“But this is ridiculous,” Magnus had all but shouted. “They sidetracked the case. They buried evidence. That is the very definition of aiding a criminal!”

“You forget that they are powerful,” Ragnor had in a voice that only came with age and experience. “The Lightwoods have been in the force for almost a century. They have powerful frie-”

“I don’t give a shit if they are related to god himself,” he had snapped. “They broke the law. People suffered because of their privilege. Ragnor, they can’t just get away with it. They can’t just…They can’t!”

“They can and they did,” Ragnor had put a hand on his shoulder, which had not felt comforting in any way. “I know you are new to all of this. I know you are learning. I know you want to do big things. But if you wish to be a decent lawyer without losing your sanity, there is something you need to learn first. You can't save everyone."

Magnus still remembered the words Ragnor had echoed that day. He never forgot. He probably never will.

The Lightwoods might have escaped justice, but Magnus had sworn to himself that he would never let anyone else get away with it. He had sworn on everything he believed in that he would do his best to do what is right and protect what is good.

And he never stopped trying.

It wasn’t easy.

It wasn’t easy being good.

Why didn’t anyone ever teach you these things when you are young? Why didn’t anyone ever say that being good is more difficult than being bad?

“The world isn’t divided into good and bad, Magnus,” an echo of a voice he knew said on the inside and his body shuddered on the outside. “The world is divided into winners and losers. Who do you want to be?”

The proceedings went smoothly enough. The judge, who just like any other New Yorker, was familiar with the effect of drug tracking on the local youth. He seemed to have zero fucks to give about the defense’s argument. They had gone back and forth for what seemed like forever, but at the end of the day, nothing was going to change.

Valentine had fucked up too many things within too little time. The city didn’t want to live through that again. No one did.

Magnus peered up at Judge Kingson from his chair. While it seemed that the man absolutely did not believe anything the defense was saying, he was still listening intently. Because that was his job. His responsibility.

He knew that being a lawyer, the assistant district attorney no less, gave him an incredible amount of power and responsibility too. But Magnus had always felt like there is so much more than he can do. While his work was indeed very important to him, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and yearning every time he saw a judge declaring the sentence.

It was something he had always wanted.

Anyone who watched Magnus in the courtroom said that he was always in control of the room, an essential trait of any prosecutor. While he must admit he was good at it, he wanted to be the one who was ultimately in control of the room.

But he wasn’t sure if such a responsibility was something he was cut out for. He wasn’t sure if he had it in him.

“I would like a plea deal,” Seelie Queen’s voice rang out and every head in the room snapped in her direction.

Apparently, Ms. Queen had seemed to realize that she was going to get no help from the defense team.

Judge Kingson cocked his head as if he had expected this sort of plot twist. “Prosecutor?”

Magnus buttoned his navy suit as he walked towards the stand. “Ms. Queen, we don’t think that’s an option.”

“I have valuable information,” Seelie Queen said insistently.

“I have no doubt,” Magnus agreed. “But I feel that it is my duty to inform you that no matter the value of your information, it will have no effect on your sentence.”

“Mr. Bane is right, Ms. Queen,” Judge Kingson confirmed. “Your crimes are too severe and there is much too evidence to support every accusation against you – especially after the police detained and questioned Mr. Blackwell.”

“That fucking pig,” Seelie Queen hissed, and the judge called for order. “There is no loyalty within the Circle. Not after Valentine.”

“Mr. Bane, please present all evidence to-”

“What if I have a name??” she questioned again.

Something in her voice made Magnus turn towards her. She wasn’t desperate, as most people would be in her situation. She was…angry.

“What kind of a name?” Magnus asked.

“One that you don’t have,” she said and magnus couldn’t help but notice the musicality in her voice. She sounded like a theatre major. “One that would be impossible to find without my help.”

Magnus’ mouth tightened.

“Sidebar, your honor?” he requested and Judge Kingson nodded in response.

“What do you think?” Judge Kingson asked. “Magnus, she could be misdirecting us.”

“I don’t think she is,” Magnus said slowly. “I think she has actually useful information. But…”

“But what?”

“We can’t let her get away with it, sir,” Magnus said seriously. “Not again. I know Valentine is gone, but these people are just as guilty and just as bad.”

“But the name mi-”

“We’ll find another way,” Magnus reassured him. “I’ll be damned if she gets out of this with nothing worse than a hefty fine and community service.”

Judge Kingson considered it for a moment and nodded gravely. “Very well. Get it over with then.”

“Ms. Queen,” Magnus turned towards the stand. “We stand by what we said before. There won’t be any change in your sentencing. Although you are still welcome to help us out by providing the name.”

“Ha,” she laughed. “Why would I do that? Your loss. This city can burn for all I care.”

 _She is angry,_ the echo from the past said inside his head. _Use it._

“Technically we are not losing anything,” Magnus said after a moment of thought. “I mean of course it is going to take longer for the good detectives of the city to find the others involved in Valentine’s inner circle. But I assure you, they will find them.”

Alec would find them. Magnus knew he would.

“So, it is not an impossible task as you say,” Magnus pointed out. “Just a slightly delayed one.”

“You seem to have a lot of faith in our police department,” Seelie Queen snarked.

“I do,” Magnus replied simply, meaning every word of it. He walked toward Judge Kingson to present the evidence.

“Well then, good luck!” the woman almost spit. “I suppose I have no choice but to go to prison protecting their names. Can’t say I didn’t try to be a good citizen.”

 _Breathe. Breathe. Breathe,_ the echo said. _Never lose control in the courtroom._

“Actually,” Magnus said with an amused grin. “I am less interested in who you are protecting and more interested in why you are protecting them.”

“I am loyal to the-”

“But there is no loyalty in the circle. Not after Valentine,” Magnus pointed out. “You said it yourself.”

Magnus had always been good at reading people. And he could see the wheels turning inside Seelie Queen’s head.

“Ms. Queen, you do realize that you are here because others before you had no reservation in speaking of your involvement?”

In truth, it had been incredibly hard to get anything out of the people they had arrested. But Magnus knew that Lydia and Alec made a good interrogation team. After what seemed like hours, they had finally managed to get Seelie Queen’s name.

Of course, Ms. Queen didn’t have to know any of this.

“But I am loya-”

“Loyalty is for friends and family,” Magnus pointed out. “But they were neither, were they?”

“I-” she seemed to hesitate.

“We have made it abundantly clear that your sentencing is final,” Magnus repeated once more. “It is up to you whether you want to go to prison all by yourself or take some of your good ‘friends’ with you.”

Magnus let her think – or overthink rather – and turned his attention back to the Judge. The defense seemed to have given up long time ago and were already preoccupied with something else. Probably the Rouse case.

“Ms. Queen,” Judge Kingson said in that voice and Magnus couldn’t help but think about all the times they did mock trails in law school.

“You are too dramatic,” Ragnor, who had been the prosecution, had explained at the time. “Judges are supposed to be calm and poised.”

“Well excuse me for trying to bring some flair into the courtroom,” Magnus, who of course was the judge, had teased.

“I think your rainbow jacket does that,” Catarina, who had volunteered to played the role of defense, had giggled while munching on popcorn.

“Thank you, Cat. I find the defendant guilty of all charges!” Magnus had declared dramatically. “Now off with his head!!”

“Yay! Sweet release of death!” said Raphael in a lifeless voice, who had played the role of the defendant, and had promptly gone back to sleep on the couch. 

Magnus tried not to smile when he remembered all their theatrics back in law school. It hadn’t been easy for any of them – even for Catarina who had decided to go to med school instead. But they had all stuck together. 

Now that’s the kind of loyalty one should never betray, Magnus realized. He almost felt bad for Seelie Queen for not having such friends. 

As Judge Kingson read out the sentencing, Magnus let out a silent breath.

Another one off the streets.

As of two days ago, with the arrest of Blackwell, they had arrested and sentenced every single person Jocelyn had spoken of. Of course, the trials of Rouse and Blackwell were pending but Magnus knew that they would go smoothly as well. He had absolute faith in the prosecutors who were handling the case.

Even though this was a big victory for the state, Magnus knew that they cannot celebrate knowing that there were others out there. Others they didn’t even know about yet.

For a second, only a second, Magnus wished he had considered Seelie Queen’s plea deal. But then he remembered Maryse and Robert Lightwood living their best life in Washington. He remembered the face of every single cop at the precinct who had felt utterly betrayed. He remembered Alec being judged for their actions. He remembered the white hospital sheets. He remembered hot tears on his neck. 

No. Never again.

As a lawyer, his job was not only to protect who were innocent but also make sure the guilty didn’t escape justice.

The hearing concluded and Seelie Queen was escorted by security. Magnus picked up his briefcase and gave a polite nod at Judge Kingson when a hand griped his arm tightly.

“Lilith,” the musical voice whispered. “Her name is Lilith.”

Magnus looked at her sharply to see if she was pulling any final tricks. But she only seemed angrier than before. Apparently, the bait had worked.

“There were people watching,” she whispered in his ear. “They have people everywhere. It wouldn’t have been safe to betray her in public.”

“Lilith,” Magnus repeated. “What’s her last name?”

“That’s all I know and that’s more than you deserve,” she hissed and walked away.

Magnus sighed tiredly.

One thing he both liked and disliked about the courtroom is that there was never a shortage of drama.

He had to share the news with the DA as they had to settle on their next move. He wanted to tell Alec of course, but not before he told his boss. 

As he ran down the stairs, he saw a familiar face walking upwards.

“I was hoping I would run into you,” Magnus grinned.

“Magnus,” Raphael nodded politely.

For anyone who didn’t know them, the two of them would look like acquaintances, or even strangers. But in reality, Raphael was one of Magnus’ closest friends. Raphael liked to keep his distance from people, literally and figuratively.

“Are you ready for the case?” Magnus asked. “Do you need to me to stay back?”

“So you can try to flirt with the judge and distract him from the case?” Raphael rolled his eyes.

“I would never,” Magnus scoffed.

“You would and you have,” Raphael pointed out.

“That was a long time ago,” Magnus countered. “I am a kept man now.”

“Of course,” Raphael said in a grave tone. “How is that working out for you? Dating a Lightwood?”

None of his friends had been pleased when Magnus had started dating Alec – not even Catarina, whom Magnus knew possessed the braincell of the group.

“But he is a cop,” Raphael had pointed out in frustration the night he had broken the news.

“Raphael, you can’t seriously hold that against him,” Magnus had argued. “It’s his job – not who he is.”

“But what about who he is, Magnus?” Ragnor had demanded. “He is a goddamn Lightwood!”

Magnus had anticipated them to be angry. But he hadn’t anticipated it to hurt. At least not this much. It was one of the moments that made him realize how much he loved Alec.

“Alec had nothing to do with that,” Magnus had said quietly.

“But his parent-” Raphael had started.

“We can’t hold people accountable for the mistakes of their parents. It isn’t fair! You know it isn’t!” Magnus remembered saying. “Now if anyone has a problem with Alec himself, then we’d be happy to clarify your concerns.”

“Bloody hell,” Raphael had said. “It’s already the royal ‘we’. It’s too late, everyone! We have lost him.”

“I don’t understand why you are all making such a big deal!” Magnus had groaned in frustration.

“We just don’t want you to get hurt, bub,” Catarina had butt in gently. “You don’t even know him well.”

Magnus remembered looking at their faces. He remembered realizing that they didn’t look angry. They actually looked rather worried.

Okay maybe sometimes he wasn’t really the best when it came to reading people.

“I know I don’t know him well. I know I don’t know everything. But I know some things. I know he is kind. I know he is good. I know he is not like his parents. I know he would never hurt me. And I know…I know I love him. Isn’t that enough?”

By the end of the evening, Catarina had given her blessing and Ragnor had grunted a reluctant yes and Raphael had made Magnus sign a document that said he was making this decision with a sound mind.

“It’s been two years, Raphael,” Magnus chuckled now. “I know you secretly ship us.”

“I do no such thing,” Raphael said indignantly. “I just don’t like his vibes.”

“You said the same thing about Camille!” Magnus protested.

“Was I wrong though?” Raphael raised a brow.

“This will not do,” Magnus said adamantly. “I am going to find a fun activity for you two to do. How about bowling? You can bond over bowling and beer!”

“I would literally go back and do all four years of law school instead of going bowling with your boyfriend,” Raphael pointed out.

“Rude,” Magnus poked out his tongue. “But I was serious. I can stay behind if you want me to. I know Iris Rouse can be…a lot.”

Iris Rouse had been responsible for trafficking immigrant children as a part of Valentine’s business. The horror stories they had to hear during her confession had been too much for all of them – even for Magnus. The only good thing to come out of her arrest – other than getting Blackwell’s name – had been Madzie, an immigrant child they had found in one of the ‘shelters’ run by Rouse. Madzie, who had been an orphan, was now Magnus’ goddaughter. Catarina had bonded with the child while helping through her recovery and the rest was history.

“She is a real piece of work,” Raphael rolled his eyes. “She is kind of pissed that she is getting prosecuted by someone from ‘other side of the wall’.”

“Ah, she is one them,” Magnus clicked his tongue. He immediately disliked her a little bit more. “What are they called again? Trumpists? Trumpers? Trumpets?”

“Idiots,” Raphael replied. “They are called idiots.”

Magnus smiled. “You sure you’re going to be okay?”

“I am good,” Raphael nodded. “Clary is on her way.”

Raphael’s background in immigration law and Clary’s background in juvenile law made them the perfect team for the Iris Rouse case. Magnus reminded himself that his friends were just as capable as he had been at their age and decided to trust them to do their job.

“That’s good. You two got this in the bag,” Magnus grinned. “I got a name from Queen by the way.”

“A name?” Raphael’s eyes glittered. “Who is it? Anyone we know?”

Magnus shook his head. “Someone called Lilith.”

“Lilith who?”

“Just Lilith,” Magnus said. “No second name.”

“Who does she think she is?” Raphael asked. “Beyonce?”

Magnus chuckled. “We’ll figure it out. For now, focus on Rouse.”

Raphael gave him a two fingered salute and ran upstairs.

Magnus remembered a time when Raphael had been struggling in law school. He was one of the youngest students to enroll and had moved a long away from home to study in Columbia. He had often felt overwhelmed by the pressure to fit in with all the older students and Magnus couldn’t help but look out for the little one. He remembered meeting Raphael’s mother during orientation and promising to keep an eye out for the young boy.

But it didn’t take long for Magnus to realize that Raphael barely needed any babysitting. It took him a couple of semesters to settle down, but once he did, he started kicking ass left and right. Raphael’s no filter attitude and zero tolerance for bullshit made him an excellent lawyer and a not-so-excellent friend.

Magnus directly made his way into Luke’s office and knocked on the door gently.

“Please tell me you got something,” Luke almost pleaded.

“I got something,” Magnus grinned as he put down his briefcase. “One of the whales. Someone we didn’t know before.”

“Damn,” Luke looked impressed. “How did you pull that off?”

“I am just very good at my job,” Magnus replied modestly. “A woman. She goes by Lilith.”

“Lilith,” Luke repeated. “Doesn’t ring any bells. You think this is actually going to lead to something?”

“I think so,” Magnus nodded. “I mean yes, Seelie Queens hates us. But she hates her associates more.”

“Have you told Alec?”

“Not yet. I wanted to talk to you first.”

Luke smiled.

Magnus always ran everything past Luke first – especially with this particular case.

It wasn’t just because Luke was his boss, but also because Luke was more personally invested in the case.

For starters, Valentine had been Luke’s partner in the force. They had been incredible together, being the youngest and brightest of the squad. But after a mission with a drug cartel had gone wrong, Luke was so severely injured that he had had to retire from the force. But he hadn’t given up. He had gone to law school after all of it and had climbed up the ladder slowly and steady.

And unlike most people Magnus knew, Luke had climbed the ladder honestly.

“I was thinking of retiring after Valentine’s case, you know,” Luke sighed and removed his spectacles. “But now I am not sure. This seems endless.”

“All things come to an end,” Magnus said reassuringly. “We just need to keep fighting.”

“Magnus, I know I have mentioned this before,” Luke said carefully. “But I would really like for you to take this on after me.”

Magnus bit his lip.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to or that he thought he wouldn’t be good at it. A district attorney had immense power and was able to make massive change in the system. But it wasn’t the kind of change Magnus wanted to make.

“Luke, I-”

“Still got your eyes on a judgeship huh?” Luke chuckled softly. “Alright. Alright. If that’s what you want, then I will help you get there.”

“Thank you,” Magnus replied gratefully. “It’s just that there is so much I could in that position.”

“You are Magnus Bane,” Luke smiled. “You could do so much in any position.”

Magnus smiled back shyly. “And I know I have asked _you_ this before, but do you really have to retire? I don’t even see more than a couple of grey hairs.”

“Power of quality hair dye,” Luke winked. “And yes, I do. It doesn’t seem right for me to be here…Not after Valentine.”

“Luke, what happened wasn’t your fault,” Magnus argued. “Valentine was…an asshole.”

Luke laughed at that. “He really was. But he also put my family through so much, Magnus. I know this city needs me. But my family needs me too.”

Magnus knew that Jocelyn and Clary had always been Luke’s family – the only family he knew. They were the kind of family that made your stomach burn with jealousy and heart burst with love. He really couldn’t blame Luke for wanting to give up work to be with them.

“You know this is a lot of work,” Luke continued. “I spend so much time down here that I sometimes fall asleep on the desk.”

Luke didn't have to explain. Magnus knew all too well about how taxing it was to be a DA or even an ADA. Some of his law school buddies used to say that the three-hour lectures were the worst thing lawyers had to go through in their careers. He wondered how much they would pay now to swap one workday for a week of three-hour lectures.

Bottomline, the job was tiring as fuck.

But here is the thing. Magnus had always been one of those people who genuinely enjoyed three-hour lectures. He was always early for his classes and had perfect attendance. He enjoyed his work as the assistant district attorney just as much. He would never deny that the work was too much and too overwhelming sometimes. It was all true. But he just seemed to enjoy it just the same.

Catarina thought Magnus had a medical condition. Magnus thought Catarina was a hypocrite.

“At least you have a loving wife who will happily make you chicken soup and give you massages when you get your ass home,” Magnus pointed.

“Do I need to have a talk with Alec?” Luke chuckled. “Is he not taking care of you?”

Magnus knew he was joking, but he also knew Luke wouldn’t hesitate to kick Alec’s ass if necessary. When Alec had asked him out, Luke had been the first person Magnus had told – even before his best friends. It wasn’t that he was looking for Luke’s permission or blessings. Magnus had had a lot of doubts. About Alec. About himself. About the relationship. About their future. It had only been a couple of months since Alec’s parents had been arrested and gotten away with their involvement. It was too messy and too scary back then. And Luke had been the only person Magnus could count on to be objective.

“I think you should date him,” Luke had said to Magnus’ surprise.

“So, you think it doesn’t matter that he is a Lightwood?” Magnus had asked.

“Oh, it does matter,” Luke had reminded him. “But just remember that it is not the only thing that matters. There is more to him than his last name. Find out who that person is and if you like that person, then go for it.”

“Do you know him?” Magnus had asked curiously.

“Not at all,” Luke had shaken his head.

“Then why vouch for him?”

Magnus still remembered the look of worry that had taken over Luke’s face then. It was a look he had only seen and had never experienced. 

“I just don’t want anyone to treat Clary as if she is damaged because of her father,” Luke had explained. “She is a wonderful girl. She deserves to be treated for who she is and not for who her father was. I think Alec deserves the same, don’t you?”

Magnus had taken Luke’s words into heart and given Alec a chance. It was the best leap of faith Magnus had even taken in his entire life.

“Alec’s soup making skills might not be top tier,” Magnus pointed out now. “But yes, everything is fine. I just worry about you is all.”

“You know I am only leaving because I trust you enough to keep everything afloat,” Luke said. “I just…I just don’t want them to ever feel like they are not a priority again.”

“Luke!” Magnus chastised. “As long as you are there, that’s never going to happen. And you don’t have to explain yourself to me. I understand.”

And he did.

Despite the endless checklist of things to do and chasing after Valentine’s ghosts, Magnus always made time for Alec. Alec wasn’t just a priority, he was _it._ He was Magnus’ everything.

“Also, now that Clary is practicing, I just feel like I can rest,” Luke said fondly. “Jocelyn feels a little outnumbered.”

“First of all, stop talking like you are eighty,” Magnus pointed out. “Also, this city can really do with better lawyers.”

“I just worry about her,” Luke smiled.

Magnus thought of the fierce little teenage girl he had met all those years ago. The first time they had met, Magnus had thought that she might pursue a career in the force. She had been like a bolt of lightning – always ready to strike. But with time he had realized that this bolt of lightning was much better at defending than attacking. He had always felt a sense of protectiveness over her and had promised Luke that he will protect her at all costs. 

“I get you,” Magnus said. “I worry too.”

“About Alec?” Luke asked.

“About Clary,” Magnus corrected. “But yes, about Alec too.”

Luke chuckled at that. “Sometimes I feel like all you do is worry about other people.”

“Well, someone’s got to do it,” Magnus chuckled back. “Have you met these crazy hooligans?”

There was a knock on the glass door and Dot peeped in.

“Sorry to disturb this bonding sesh,” his assistant grinned. “But Detective Herondale is here to see you, Magnus.”

“Speaking of Hooligans,” Luke chuckled harder and Magnus couldn’t help but giggle.

There were a few random things that made Magnus nonsensically happy.

Painting mugs with Clary. Taking selfies with Raphael. Binging Grey’s Anatomy with Catarina. Bird watching with Ragnor. Alphabetically organizing the case files in Luke’s room. Winning a game of chess against Alec.

And of course, making fun of Jace.

It all started when Alec had told Magnus that nothing made Jace uncomfortable. Magnus had been worried that Jace would disapprove of Alec dating a prosecutor or even disapprove of Alec dating Magnus at any capacity.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” Alec had told him confidently. “Jace is what people call a ‘chill bro’. Nothing fazes him.”

Magnus had found that hard to believe since _something_ fazes everyone. Even Magnus had a few things that made him uncomfortable. But with time Magnus had come to realize, Jace was indeed a ‘chill bro’ as his reputation claimed. They fit into an easy rhythm of worrying about Alec, talking about MasterChef and more worrying about Alec. 

It was only after a few weeks of dating that Magnus had found it. The one thing that made Jace ‘Chill Bro’ Herondale uncomfortable.

While the ability to make fun of Jace made him happy, it made him ecstatic to realize that he was the only one who could do so.

He was about to go to his office with a plan when he noticed Jace sitting in the hallway on a bench.

"You can't save everyone," Ragnor's voice echoed in his head. 

All thoughts of teasing the poor fellow vanished from Magnus’ mind.

Jace was looking down and focusing on his shoes. It took a lot to make Jace uncomfortable. But it didn’t take much to make him feel self-conscious.

Magnus could see some of the staff glancing at the detective, some even pointing and whispering not so quietly.

“It’s just how the system works,” Elias was explaining to one of the interns. “He is a rich, white, heterosexual man. Of course, he got away with it! Now if it had bee--”

“Elias,” Magnus walked up to the junior prosecutor as swiftly as he could. “Maybe we should focus less on Detective Herondale and more on important things. I don’t know, like, home remedies for dandruff. That seems to be a more immediate concern for you.”

Elias made a face and walked away. Magnus gestured at Jace to follow him into the office.

“Sorry about that,” Magnus said, even if it wasn’t his fault.

He didn’t understand why people said sorry for things that weren’t their fault at all. It sometimes felt like humans felt sorry more often than they felt grateful.

“It’s okay,” Jace shrugged because he had the reputation of a 'Chill Bro' to uphold. “I am used to it.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be,” Magnus pointed out.

“Is the painting new?” Jace pointed behind him.

It wasn’t. Clary had painted a street market in Indonesia as a gift when Magnus had been promoted as ADA. Magnus knew Jace could recognise Clary's painting even from a mile. And Jace never missed a detail. So, he was obviously trying to change the subject.

“What are you here for?” Magnus asked, because he didn’t want to push it.

“We are done with Blackwell,” Jace informed him and Magnus released a deep breath and leaned against the desk. “We have gotten everything we can from him. I came to drop off the file. His case is during the weekend. Will you be handling it?”

“Probably not. We’ve got something else to worry about,” Magnus replied. “But I have asked Maia to handle Blackwell.”

Jace nodded in satisfaction.

Maia had specialized in women’s rights and was ideal to deal with a pig like Blackwell who made money trafficking sex workers. Maia would give him hell and Magnus half wished he could be there to see it.

But alas, there was the issue of Lilith.

Magnus told Jace of everything that had transpired in court earlier today. He had been hoping to tell Alec first, but telling Jace was almost the same thing since the two of them worked so in syn that Magnus couldn’t help but wonder if there was some sort of magic involved.

Jace listened intently until Magnus’ finished updating him. Despite being known the best out there in the field, Magnus had noted that Jace was also quite a good analyst. Although the man did have a deep dislike for paperwork.

“I have never heard of a Lilith before,” Jace said and Magnus started to get a little concerned.

He had hoped that Jace would be able to connect the name to something or something in the case of the Circle. It was what the precinct had named the case since they felt like they were going in endless circles sometimes. They might be hardworking folks, but they were not the most creative bunch.

But Jace’s frown deeply worried Magnus. The blonde man had the case committed to memory. So, if there wasn’t a Lilith anywhere near the case, it might take them a while to figure it out. Usually the longer it took, the harder it became to catch the culprit since somehow – sometimes thanks to certain law enforcement agents themselves – they always knew the state was onto them.

And it doesn’t really take long to create a fake passport and get out of New York forever.

That is if Lilith was in New York at all.

“Maybe it’s an alias?” Magnus suggested.

“If so, I am judging her,” Jace said. “Out of all the names she could have gone for. I mean, come on! She is one of the killer whales in the game. She could have gone for something like _Mother of Demons!_ ”

“You should tell her that,” Magnus replied. “She could put in her visiting card.”

Jace chuckled but only briefly. “This is good, Magnus. It’s more than what we had before – which was literally nothing. Names can be important – especially among traffickers. We can figure it out.”

A small bubble of hope emerged inside his chest. Maybe they will figure it out. Maybe they can put this whole mess behind them and finally move on. They’ve been on Valentine’s case for almost five years now. Every time they had caught some big shot and thought they were closer to closing the case, someone worse would emerge and they would have to start all over again.

Maybe the precinct was right. It did feel like they were going in endless circles sometimes.

“Well, I hope you are right. You know I am here if you need my help for anything,” Magnus offered, out of care and out of habit.

“Have you told Alec yet?” Jace asked.

“Not yet,” Magnus said. “I suppose I can discuss it with him tonight.”

“Date night, huh?” Jace grinned.

“I am not sure if discussing crime bosses of New York counts as a date,” Magnus said dryly.

“What are you talking about?” Jace asked. “That’s my favorite kind of date.”

Magnus shook his head fondly. “Alec said he is coming over tonight after work. But you can update him when you get back. Call me if there is anything.”

“Will do,” Jace nodded.

“Is that all?” Magnus asked, settling down to get back to work.

Jace put his hand inside his jacket pocket and started shuffling around. “Actually, I got something else for you.”

He passed Magnus a neatly folded piece of paper. Magnus’ lips smiled of their own accord as they always did when they saw the familiar piece of yellow paper with the blue lines.

It had only been a couple of months since they had started dating when Magnus and Alec had to visit a High School in Queens. Alec had gotten a lead that Seelie Queen – who had only been a suspect at the time – was using high school children to transport her drugs in their school bags.

Alec had gone to interview some of the students and Magnus had gone with him since he knew the principal and could get Alec in without any trouble.

They had both been standing in the hallway waiting for the principal and watching the students walk up and down – giggling and grinning, oblivious to all the worries in the world.

“I wish I had known you in high school,” Magnus had said randomly.

“I am glad you didn’t,” Alec had shuddered. “I had bangs.”

Magnus had giggled at that. “It would have been so awesome though. We could have done all sorts of cute shit together. I always wanted to do that. But I never dated in high school, so it never happened.”

“What kind of cute shit would we have done?” Alec had asked, looking at him adoringly.

“The cutest shit!” Magnus had sighed a little dreamily. “Walking each other to classes. Make out in the library. Kiss in the hallway. Pass notes through friends.”

He remembered listing everything he had dreamed of in high school – up until the principal had called them in.

The next day, when all of them had been hanging out together at Magnus’ apartment, Jace had walked up to him and given him a note.

A piece of yellow paper, with blue lines, neatly folded.

**“I might not be able to walk you to class or make out with you in the library. But I can still do this. You deserve all the cute shit in the world, babe.”**

Every time Alec wrote a note for him, he would write something so honest and earnest that it made Magnus’ heart soar up to the sky every time he read them. Alec didn’t know but Magnus saved every single one of them. He had a drawer full of notes he had collected over the last two years. He never threw them away because each and every one was a reminder that Magnus had the best boyfriend in the world.

Magnus opened the note and looked down at it now.

**“I like the way you smile. I like way you do everything. I just like you so damn much.”**

A grin spread across his face and he could notice Jace smiling too. Magnus carefully folded back the note and put it inside his suit pocket.

“I can’t believe you two are still doing this shit,” Jace chuckled. “I'm going to start charging for delivery.”

“But how would we keep our love afloat without our trusted messenger?” Magnus asked dramatically. “How, Jonathan, How?”

“You are a pain in the ass, Bane,” the blonde man shook his head.

And Magnus had an open shot.

“Oh yes, I know,” Magnus said with a wicked gleam. “Just ask Alec.”

A groan left Jace’s mouth and covered his ears immediately.

“I HAVE TOLD YOU NOT TO DO THAT, YOU ASSHOLE!” Jace yelled.

Nothing made Jace Herondale uncomfortable. Nothing but hearing about his best friend’s sex life.

Magnus had wondered how Jace had coped with it before only to find out that Alec didn’t really have a sex life before Magnus had come along.

“This is a place of work,” Jace pointed out, both desperate and tired. “Please stop.”

Magnus giggled.

“I am begging,” Jace pleaded.

“Funny cause that’s what Alec was doing last night in bed,” Magnus replied cheekily.

“I AM LEAVING!!” Jace yelled again and left his office without another word.

The rest of the day had gone smoothly as it could. Magnus spent every minute going through case files and talking to his contacts to find out about Lilith. It had been half past six when Dot had come in to shout at him for forgetting to eat his lunch. Magnus had the habit of forgetting to eat when he was swamped with work. And unfortunately for him, he was always swamped with work.

He brought a smoothie on the way home and drank it on the subway. It has been a long day. So much had happened and sometimes it all became too much. He compartmentalized all the events until one thing stood out.

Alec.

He tried to forget about Valentine's mess and Lilith hiding somewhere and the Blackwell trial and Luke’s retirement. He focused only on Alec. He focused on getting to spend time with Alec tonight. For now, it was all that mattered.

That wasn’t true. It was all that mattered at any moment.

Once he got home, Magnus took a long shower, letting the sandalwood shampoo wash away the glitter in his hair and the stress in his head. He put on his silk black pajamas and ordered Thai for the two of them and settled on the bed to read some more case files on his laptop until Alec reached home.

He was only halfway through the second one when he got a text.

**“Lydia’s CI might know something on Lilith. I am getting late. But I’ll be there. I promise.”**

Even though it was amazing news, Magnus could feel the bubble of excitement in his chest starting to shrink. He had been looking forward to being with Alec – or just seeing him at all.

But he put his disappointment away. It wasn’t fair to be angry or frustrated or disappointed when Alec was out there still working to make the city a safer place.

If Lydia’s informant really did have something useful on Lilith, then maybe they will be able to catch her and close this case for once and for all. Maybe everything would go back to normal.

Magnus texted back asking Alec not to worry. He put his phone away and focused back on the case file.

After going through five more files and finding nothing useful, Magnus put his laptop away in frustration. He checked his phone again.

**02.37 AM.**

There were no texts from Alec.

Magnus turned off the light and closed his eyes.

He dreamt of fire that couldn’t be put out and of blood that couldn’t be washed away. A scream was about to rip away from his lips when he was grounded by two hands gently pulling him back into a place of warmth and safety.

“There you are,” the place called out to his soul. “I am glad you are back. It doesn’t feel right without you here.”

Magnus couldn’t see anything in the dark so he searched for his phone and found it under his pillow.

**6.12 AM**

“Alexander,” he said hoarsely. “What are you doing here?”

Alec only pulled him closer to his chest and laid a kiss on Magnus’ bare shoulder.

“You need to go back to your apartment, get changed and be back in the precinct in less than an hour,” Magnus said, trying to keep his eyes open. "You should have gone home."

“I promised you I'll be here,” Alec whispered. “Go back to sleep.”

“My love, you shouldn’t hav-”

“Shhh,” Alec cuddled him tighter. “Go back to sleep.”

Magnus was too sleepy to argue and too comfortable to refuse. He settled back into Alec’s arms and closed his eyes.

“Wherever I am and whatever I am doing, I will always come back to you,” Alec whispered into his ear.

There were no dreams about blood or fire again that night. Instead he dreamt of dark hair that slipped through the fingers like fine silk and hazel eyes more beautiful than any planet in the solar system.

He dreamt of Alec Lightwood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?
> 
> Come fine me on tumblr @khaleesiofalicante
> 
> Fun fact - There are currently 1.34 million lawyers in the United States. The entire population of the U.S. is 327,522,508. That means that there is roughly one lawyer for every 240 people.


	3. Daniel Prude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You do know that you don’t have to come visit me just because you promised, right?” Magnus asked, burying his face in Alec’s collar. “I won’t be angry with you or anything like that.”
> 
> “But you are sexy when you are angry though,” Alec pointed out honestly and felt magnus giggle into his shoulder.
> 
> “I am serious, love,” Magnus continued still. “You don’t have to come here every day.”
> 
> “What if I didn’t have to come here every day?” Alec wondered out loud.
> 
> “Alec, that is literally what I just said!!”
> 
> “I mean what if I don’t have to come here every day?” Alec repeated more firmly this time. “What if…What if I lived here?”
> 
> Sexy Drivers, Tired Teams, Worried Partners and Other Things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight I'm back.
> 
> Happy reading :)

There were two wonderful advantages to waking up at Magnus’.

The presence of one beautiful man and most importantly, the absence of noise pollution. 

Of course, Brooklyn by no means was quieter than any other area in New York. But Alec had always found it to be calmer. Maybe it had little to do with the city and had more to do with Magnus. Either way, he enjoyed waking up to the sound of music and the smell of coffee.

It was a welcome change from waking up to Jace singing ‘Be a Man’ from Mulan every morning.

It wasn’t that Jace was bad at singing. But Alec didn’t enjoy Jace’s obsession with Disney as much as Clary did. She was desensitized to the noise pollution in his apartment.

Alec turned around, his body wrapped in soft silk, and reached for his boyfriend. His blinked his eyes slowly and sighed.

Magnus wasn’t there.

Alec wanted to get up, find him and drag him back to bed. He wanted to just lie there with Magnus and stare at the ceiling – and do other things too.

But they didn’t have that luxury.

So Alec reluctantly pulled himself up and put on his t-shirt. It smelled like sandalwood.

No, it smelled like Magnus.

His feet took him directly to the living room, which was empty too. Alec blinked lazily again and rubbed his eyes. He tried to focus on his senses and heard the faint sound of a printer coming from Magnus’ office.

Magnus was standing in front of the printer in a silk maroon robe with his arms crossed.

“It’s not gonna work faster just because you stare at it,” Alec pointed out, his voice still hoarse and raspy.

Magnus turned around. A smile immediately appeared on his face as if someone had pressed a button. Alec realized his presence did that and tried not to blush.

“Oh, I think it’s working,” Magnus replied and stared at the printer again. “Come on, you little fucker. Just one more page.”

Alec picked up the pile of paper on the mahogany table. “What’s all this?”

“Just some case files that have mentions of the name Lilith here and there,” Magnus replied, his eyes still fixed on the printer.

“That’s a lot of mentions,” Alec pointed out, grimacing at the table.

“I don’t think most of it is going to be helpful anyway,” Magnus said. “But it doesn’t hurt to look. I am just printing out a couple so I can read them on the subway.”

“A couple?” Alec raised an eyebrow.

“A couple of piles,” Magnus amended and turned around. “Please don’t tell Ragnor.”

Ragnor, one of Magnus’ oldest friends and confidants, was an environmental lawyer. Alec found the man to be unnecessarily intimidating. But at the same time, he understood that it was difficult not to be protective of Magnus.

“Ta-da!” Magnus announced when the paper finally freed itself from the printer. “All done. Now I just need to go through these and look for our mysterious Lilith.”

How long has he been up? But Alec didn’t have to wonder much since he could still see the faint dark circles underneath Magnus’ eyes.

“Shouldn’t you get ready?” Magnus asked.

“For what?” Alec said, already making a mental note to research about home remedies for dark circles.

“For work?”

“Shit,” Alec said, when he realized he was late.

“I already called Jace and asked him to bring your clothes to work,” Magnus walked over and kissed him on the cheek. “No need to go home. You can just drive to work.”

“Oh,” Alec said, wondering when Magnus had done that. “Thanks, babe.”

“I said my boyfriend needs his beauty sleep,” Magnus kissed his other cheek.

“Solid argument, counselor,” Alec teased and kissed him back.

“Why, thank you, detective,” Magnus bowed. “I’m going to hop in the shower. Are you going for a run before work?”

“Nah, I think I’ll skip leg day,” Alec grinned cheekily. “Please don’t tell Jace.”

Both Magnus and Alec thought their friends set the bar too high. As much as Ragnor was intensely eco-friendly, Jace could be intensely healthy.

“What is this note sending business?” Ragnor had scolded Alec once. “Can’t the two of you text like normal people?”

“But it’s cute!” Magnus had reasoned and Ragnor had shaken his head in despair. 

And of course, Jace had been trying to peer pressure Magnus into going to the gym for the last two years.

“You really need to work out regularly. Health is not just about _looking_ fit!” Jace had scolded Magnus once. “How about I sign you up for some CrossFit?”

“Ew,” Magnus had reasoned and Jace had shaken his head in despair too.

Alec and his boyfriend couldn’t keep up with them all the time. So, they had decided to stray a little from their friends' ungodly standards every now and then. It was something they had decided to keep between themselves.

Besides his sister had told him that it is healthy for couples to have their own secrets.

Alec walked back to the bedroom and grabbed his phone.

“I’m running a little late,” he said when Jace picked up.

“Don’t let Lydia catch you slacking,” Jace chuckled.

“I was literally at the precinct till four in the morning,” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Excuses,” Jace countered. “Also, I know. Magnus called me at six to inform me.”

At six. Magnus had woken up at six. Alec did the math to see how many hours of sleep his boyfriend had gotten last night.

Not many. 

“What did he say?” Alec asked.

“Something untoward,” Jace lamented.

When they had started dating, Magnus had been quite worried about meeting Alec’s friends and colleagues. He had been particularly worried about Jace. Magnus knew that Jace was more than Alec’s partner in crime. They were best friends and brothers. So, it had been important for Magnus to make sure Jace approved of him.

But unfortunately for him Jace was one of those people who never really showed others how much he loved them. Even when he did, it wasn't very straightforward.

The thing is that Jace didn’t just pull someone’s pigtails to show them he liked them, he sometimes set the pigtails on fire too.

His interpersonal skills were so bad that Clary had initially thought Jace hated her when in reality Jace had been mopping around like an idiot in love.

“Is he going to hate me?” Magnus had asked before walking into Alec’s apartment to officially meet Jace for the first time.

“Of course he isn’t going to hate you,” Alec had chastised.

“But I tried to prosecute your parents,” he had said and Alec remembered that it was the first time he had seen Magnus being anxious. “What if he sees me as a home wrecker?”

“Magnus, my home was wrecked way before you came into my life. Please stop stealing credit,” Alec had pointed out half-jokingly, but meaning it all the same.

His boyfriend had only pouted more intensely. Alec remembered kissing Magnus on the forehead and wrapping the scarf around the other man’s neck a little tighter - Protecting him from the cold. From his past. From anything and everything that tried to hurt Magnus.

“He is not going to think about any of that. I promise,” Alec had reassured him. “He is only going to see the most important thing about you.”

“My ass?”

“That you make me happier than anyone else,” Alec had corrected. “But yes, also your ass.”

Magnus and Jace had gotten off to a rocky start. Magnus being protective of Clary and Jace being even more protective of Alec. But one day, Magnus had made one of his silly jokes and Jace had dropped his cup of tea.

It was only then that Magnus had realized that Jace, like the wonderful weirdo that he was, admired about people who could rattle him.

So even though Jace hated Magnus’ dirty jokes, they somehow only made him like Magnus even better.

Alec didn’t really understand their relationship. But he was glad they worked it out.

“Hey, I was joking when I said you are slacker,” Jace’s voice said through the phone now. “You know I appreciate everything you do, right?”

“I know,” Alec smiled. “Although toning down that sarcasm might be helpful.”

“Alec, I don’t know who I am without my sarcasm and my good looks,” Jace said incredulously. “How could you even make such a request?”

“My bad,” Alec chuckled. “Don’t forget to bring my clothes!”

“I am just having a really hard time choosing,” Jace said and Alec heard shuffling in the background. “Do I bring the black shirt or the other black shirt?”

“Haha,” Alec deadpanned. “See you soon.”

Putting his phone to charge, Alec decided to go have that shower to properly wake up. Ever since he started sleeping over at Magnus’, he noticed that he spent more time in the shower.

Magnus was to blame for that development, for more reasons than one, since he had the most amazing bath products. Jace of course had his own, but he was way too overprotective about his conditioner and shower gel.

It didn’t really matter since Alec had grown fond of sandalwood anyway.

When he finally got out of the shower 20 minutes later, Magnus was sitting on the couch, flipping through a file, sipping from his ‘Better than Elle Woods’ mug.

He had even brought Alec a ‘Better than Jake Peralta’ mug but it had gone mysteriously missing after Jace had visited their apartment one night.

Alec wasn’t sure if Jace, a massive Brooklyn 99 fan, had been offended or had simply stolen the mug for himself.

“You want me to drive you to work?” Alec asked. "We can leave in 20."

“No, thank you,” Magnus said, looking up from his file. "I have a meeting with the governor. So, I need to leave before you do."

“Is it because I don’t let you read in the car?” Alec raised an eyebrow.

“No, it’s because I find you incredibly sexy when you are driving,” Magnus pointed out changing the subject. “And no, you will not kink shame me.”

“Magnus, maybe reading the files in the subway is not a good idea,” Alec reasoned slowly. “You get those horrible migraines afterwa -”

“I’ll wear my glasses then,” his boyfriend simply shrugged.

“Oh,” Alec said. “Maybe I should ride the subway with you then.”

“Have a thing for me in glasses, detective?” Magnus grinned.

“Why? Are you going to kink shame me?” Alec asked.

“Darling, I approve of all your kinks!” Magnus tutted.

Alec walked over and kneeled by the couch a little hesitantly.

“I want to apologize.”

Magnus put away his case file immediately. “For what?”

“For yesterday,” Alec looked at the floor. “I missed date night.”

“Hey,” Magnus said softly. “It’s okay. You were at work. I understand.”

“But this isn’t the first time I’ve stood you up,” Alec bit his lip.

“Technically it’s not standing me up if you text me beforehand,” Magnus countered, ever the lawyer.

“You know what I mean,” Alec protested, not feeling any better. “Sometimes…Sometimes I feel like I am a bad boyfriend.”

“Well, I can assure you that you are not bad,” Magnus smiled. “Definitely above average.”

Alec was quiet.

“Alec, you are not a bad boyfriend,” Magnus repeated. “You are just a very good cop.”

“But those two shouldn’t be mutually exclusive,” Alec muttered.

“No, they shouldn’t be,” Magnus agreed. “But…But we are under so much pressure right now. So, it’s okay to slack a little. You already have to worry about so much. I don’t want to be something else you need to worry about. So, I understand. You do know I understand, right?”

Did Alec know that Magnus loved him and cared for him more than anything in the world? For the life of him he couldn’t figure out why, but yeah, he did know.

“I know,” Alec nodded. “But you waited for me to come ba-”

“Alexander,” Magnus reached out and cupped his cheek. “It’s water under the bridge.”

Alec was instantly transported to the precinct two years ago. Magnus had been waiting for him near his desk. Alec remembered walking towards him, as he wiped his sweaty palms on his jacket.

He hadn’t known what had possessed him to ask Magnus Bane out. He had patiently waited for the other man’s answer – or rather, he had mentally prepared himself for the unquestionable rejection.

But instead Magnus had asked if Alec was free to go for drinks over the weekend.

“But my parents,” Alec had said.

It was all he had said but Magnus had understood him all the same.

_Do you think you can ever trust me after what happened? Do you think I am horrible as they are? Will you resent me for their sins? Will you look at me and only see a Lightwood?_

“It’s water under the bridge,” Magnus had replied. 

It was all he had said but Alec had understood him all the same.

_I will trust you for who you are. I will not judge you for their mistakes. I will not resent you on behalf of your parents. I will look at you and see you for all that you are._

In that moment, Alec was supposed to wink and say ‘it’s a date’ in a suave way. But instead he had actually grabbed Magnus by the jacket and kissed him in front of the entire precinct.

He was pretty sure Jace, and probably Underhill, had pictures.

It wasn’t that Alec had been worried about his colleague’s reactions or anything. Rather his body had moved of its own accord that day – as it always did with Magnus. He remembered being possessed by a yearning so intense that it burned his skin from the inside. 

He grabbed Magnus with the same passion now and brought their mouths together. Magnus kissed the same way he did everything else – with incomprehensible grace and inexplicable magic.

“You do know that you don’t have to come visit me just because you promised, right?” Magnus asked, burying his face in Alec’s collar. “I won’t be angry with you or anything like that.”

“But you are sexy when you are angry though,” Alec pointed out honestly and felt magnus giggle into his shoulder.

“I am serious, love,” Magnus continued still. “You don’t have to come here every day.”

“What if I didn’t have to come here every day?” Alec wondered out loud.

“Alec, that is literally what I just said!!”

“I mean what if I don’t have to come here every day?” Alec repeated more firmly this time. “What if…What if I lived here?”

Until the moment the words left his mouth Alec didn’t know that he was going to ask that. He would be lying if he said the thought had never crossed his mind.

His had crossed his mind one too many times.

He had wanted to live with Magnus since the first time he had stayed over. While he always preferred to be by Magnus’ side, there were little things that made him want to move in together so he could experience them every day.

It was the way got to see Magnus meticulously and carefully remove his makeup before he went to bed.

It was the way Magnus would whine when Alec rolled away in his sleep.

It was the way Magnus would hug him from behind when Alec made him breakfast.

It was the way Magnus always had a box of mint tea in his cabinet because he knew it calmed Alec down.

It was the way the neighbors smiled at him when he ran up the stairs, recognizing Alec as a part of Magnus' life.

And most importantly, it was the way every inch of the apartment felt like Magnus – unrestrictedly generous and overwhelmingly beautiful. 

He had been planning to ask Magnus for a few months, but he hadn’t been able to find the right moment. But right now, the intimacy of the moment, Magnus’ breath on his neck and all the love he felt for the other man had made him blurt out the words without much thought.

Alec wasn’t much fond of emotions like fear or anxiety. He wasn’t much familiar with them – at least with regard to himself. He had never felt afraid for himself as much as he felt afraid for the ones he loved.

But in the moment, he couldn’t help but feel afraid for himself. What would he would if Magnus didn’t want to move in together? What would he do if Magnus didn’t want to be next to him as much as Alec wanted to be next to Magnus?

He realized he was spiralling and decided to get it together.

It didn’t help when he noticed Magnus' body tense.

“Oh,” Magnus said, lifting his head from Alec’s shoulder.

That didn’t help either.

“You don’t want to move in together,” Alec said because he didn’t know what else to say.

“Of course I want to move in together,” Magnus corrected him quickly.

The pounding in his heart slowed down a little. Maybe Lydia was right. Maybe Alec was a pathological overthinker.

“But I just don’t think this is the right time,” Magnus finished.

The pounding slowed down further and Alec worried if it would stop beating all together.

“Okay,” Alec said.

But not because he didn’t know what to say but because he knew whatever he said wouldn’t matter. If this is what Magnus wanted and that is what he will do. He would never make Magnus do something he didn’t want to do.

“It’s just that there is so much going on,” Magnus explained, looking unusually flustered. “And we are both always at work. We don’t even spend much time at home.”

“Which is exactly why we should spend what little time have together,” Alec said more sharply than he intended.

“I know. But it will get to us, Alec. It will turn into an obligation,” Magnus kept twisting the ring on his finger. “We will feel like we need to spend every moment we are at home with each other.”

“Well, don’t you want to?” Alec asked, his voice small. “Don’t you want to spend every moment we have together?”

Magnus turned away then.

“I do, Alexander,” Magnus answered without hesitation. “But I don’t want to come home only to ignore you and focus on my work.”

“That’s even a better reason for us to move in together,” Alec pointed out. “You won’t be working so much.”

“Does that mean you are going to stop doing late night shifts and working overtime once we move in together?” Magus questioned, the prosecutor in him jumping out defensively. 

Alec didn’t have an answer for that – at least not one that he could admit out loud without feeling like an idiot.

He waited for Magnus to say ‘Aha! Checkmate, asshole!’. But Magnus didn’t. Magnus would never choose to be cruel when he could be kind.

“Alexander,” he said softly when he walked back towards him. “Only an idiot would pass up the opportunity to eat your amazing French toast every morning. And despite Raphael’s claims, I am not an idiot.”

“I do know how to cook things other than French toast,” Alec mumbled, pulling on Magnus’ sleeve.

“And I am looking forward to ravish them all,” Magnus grinned. “I swear we will move in together once we close Valentine’s case.”

 _But will we ever close it though?_ Alec wanted to ask but kept his mouth shut.

“You are not the only one who keeps his promises, okay?” Magnus said and gently took Alec’s hand in his.

Alec closed his eyes and felt Magnus touch ground him. When he opened his eyes, he didn’t feel better, but he was at least able to pretend like it.

“Okay,” he smiled. “Now let me go find these bastards.”

“You got this, my love,” Magnus kissed on him the cheek.

As Alec drove to the precinct, he tried not to focus on what Magnus had said earlier. His boyfriend had pointed out the problem. Alec understood Magnus completely well. But understanding someone’s reasons and accepting them were two different things. Alec was having trouble doing the second part.

But he knew that focusing on the problem wasn’t going to make anything better. So, as always, he focused on the solution. In this situation of course the solution was to put an end to Valentine’s circle and close that case forever.

Sometimes it felt like closing Valentine’s case would fix all the problems in his life. But Alec knew that wasn’t true – not when he had chosen this career and definitely not when his last name was Lightwood.

He received a text on his way that Lydia wanted to have a team meeting as soon as he got to the precinct. Alec knew it wasn’t going to be good news. He had stayed up with Lydia and Helen till early morning talking to their CI and trying to find any connection to Lilith. But the woman was practically untraceable. It did make sense considering if she wasn’t, they would have caught her already.

Alec parked Irene in his usual spot and took the elevator to his floor. Maybe catching Lilith and closing this case might not fix all his problems, but it would definitely solve most of it. So, Alec compartmentalized slowly as he walked to his desk and tried to not to think about the conversation with Magnus this morning. He noticed the bag of clothes on his desk and immediately went to change.

Maybe the reason Lydia wanted to meet the team was because they had a lead. Maybe the CI had finally remembered something or someone that might be useful. Maybe they would close this case after all.

No harm in being a little optimistic, right?

When he got out, he picked up the case file and walked directly into the briefing room, where his friends were debating who was the fake blonde in the team. Jace and Underhill were pointing at each other and Aline was arguing it was probably Lydia. 

“It seems I haven’t missed anything important,” Alec rolled his eyes as he threw the case file on the table. "How exactly is this conversation going to help us find Lilith?"

“Yikes,” he heard Underhill wince.

“Are you okay?” Jace asked, instead of snapping back.

Alec immediately felt like an asshole. He didn’t think Magnus would snap at his colleagues just because he had an argument with his boyfriend in the morning. Magnus was always in control of his emotions and most importantly he knew how to separate his personal and professional life. It was a skill Alec had never really mastered – partly because he never really had a personal life before Magnus and mostly because what little personal life he had was inextricably connected to his professional life.

“I am fine,” Alec dismissed his concern.

“Places everyone,” Lydia ordered as soon she walked in, looking all business. She had stayed up as late as Alec did, but she somehow always managed to look like someone who got eight hours of sleep every night.

To be honest, Alec didn’t know what someone who got eight of hours sleep every night looked like. All his friends were either insomniacs or workaholics or both.

“Please tell me your CI had an epiphany and remembered something,” Jace said, almost pleadingly.

It seemed that he wasn’t the only one who desperately wanted to be done with this case.

“No such luck,” Lydia sighed. “But I did hear something from the governor.”

“Shit,” Aline swore.

“Let me guess, he wanted to remind us of the reelection,” Jace rolled his eyes.

“Actually he has given us a deadline,” Lydia answered.

“A what?” Underhill sat up in his char. “But this case has been open for almost five years. We have made so much progress sinc-”

“I know, Underhill,” Lydia rubbed her face. “But the reelection is coming up in three months and the gove-”

“And the governor doesn’t want his ass questioned by the democrats,” Aline finished. “I am so done with this shitty bureaucracy.”

“Does this mean we have to solve the case in three months?” Helen asked quietly.

“Ideally we have to solve it earlier,” Lydia winced. “The campaigns start next week.”

“Well, that’s bullshit!” Jace almost yelled. “Who knows how long it’s going to take us to find Lilith? We don’t even know if that’s her real name or if she is real herself.”

“She could be an AI,” Underhill pointed out. “Valentine did run a high-tech operation.”

“Lilith is a horrible name for an AI,” Aline pointed out.

“Alec, you’ve been quiet,” Lydia said, and everyone turned around to look at him.

He looked at his colleagues, his team, every single one of them passionate and hardworking, They deserved to be done with this case and move on with their lives as much as he did.

“What happens?” Alec asked. “What happens if we don’t close the case in three months?”

Everyone turned around and looked at Lydia then.

“The feds take over.”

Nobody said anything.

“It doesn’t mean we will be out of the picture,” Lydia continued, her voice stronger now. “They will be taking the lead and we will assist them in whatever capacity we can.”

Now in a movie, this is where chaos would have ensued with all of them screaming and arguing and protesting. But in reality, they were all quiet.

Because in reality, it wasn't always about pride. As much as they wanted to close this case, Alec couldn't deny the fact that they were all really fucking tired of it. Valentine's circle had not only wreaked havoc in their city, but it had literally sucked the life out of him and his team. 

Alec couldn't help but wonder if they were all thinking what he was thinking.

“Maybe that’s not necessarily a bad thing?” Helen asked, confirming his suspicions. “They do have more resources and an actual budget. Maybe they are better equipped to handle this.”

“Blackthorn is right,” Lydia nodded. “If the FBI takes over the case, it could be for the better. But that doesn’t mean we are going to sit on our asses and wait for them to take this case from us.”

She moved away from the podium and walked closer to the team.

“Guys, I know closing this case in three months is unrealistic,” Lydia said hesitantly. “It is unfair and is only going to put more pressure on all of us.”

“But we know this case better than anyone,” Alec stepped in and she smiled. “The feds might be more experienced and have high tech shit. But as much as I hate to remind you this, remember that Valentine was one of us. The FBI doesn't know this case like we do. They don’t know Valentine like we do. So, let’s give it our best shot, okay?”

Everyone nodded in affirmation and Lydia picked up her file.

“I need every one of you to go through the case files in the last 25 years. That’s when Valentine’s operation started. I know the DA’s office is looking into this as well. But like Alec said, no one knows him like we do. So, go through every goddamn case he was involved in the last 25 years. I want to know about anyone he worked with in that period. If anything comes up, you know what to do.”

“Yes, Captain!” they all echoed and dismissed themselves immediately. 

“Alec,” Lydia said quietly. “I need you in my office please.”

He knew it. He knew there was something else. Something she didn’t want to share with the rest of them.

He nodded and followed her to her office when he heard someone call him.

She was standing next to Jace, her hair like autumn leaves on fire, waving at him furiously.

“I’ll see you in a bit then,” Lydia smiled and went ahead.

He walked over to Clary and she jumped in to give him a hug. She was a pathological hugger.

He patted her on her head affectionately.

“Hello, pudding!” he greeted her and Clary pouted.

Magnus usually called Clary ‘biscuit’. Alec had found the name to be funny and Clary had said it was cute. So, Alec had decided to try his own luck. Clary unfortunately did not find his petnames to be cute.

It hadn’t been easy for them to be friends in the beginning. They hadn’t trusted each other because of their last names.

And for other reasons.

“I don’t trust you,” Alec had told her once. “You are unrealistically cheerful.”

“Well, I don’t trust you either,” She had crossed her arms. “You are unrealistically tall.”

It had been hard for them to like each other when they had nothing in common.

And then Alec had met Magnus and Jace had fallen for Clary.

Their friendship, which had seemed impossible and daunting before, bloomed immediately when Magnus and Jace had joined the dynamic. Alec had realized that they had something quite important in common – their love for Jace and Magnus.

And Mexican food. 

“I brought tacos,” Clary waved the paper bag in the hand.

“For breakfast?” Jace raised an eyebrow.

“No judging,” Alec told him as he dug into the bag. “This is a safe space.”

“And this is brunch,” Clary corrected him as she helped herself for one as well.

Alec wolfed down an entire taco and grabbed a second one only to see Jace and Clary staring at him.

“What?” he asked. “I forgot to have breakfast.”

“Speaking of,” Jace scratched at his collar. “Is…Is everything okay? With Magnus?”

“What’s wrong with Magnus?” Clary asked immediately, ready to steal kneecaps.

“Nothing is wrong with Magnus,” Alec said with a mouthful of taco.

“What?”

“Let me swallow first,” Alec said, and Clary giggled.

“Thank god Magnus wasn’t here,” Jace sighed in relief. “I just asked because you seemed a little out of it before the briefing. Everything okay between you two?”

“Yep, everything is fine,” Alec nodded, wiping his mouth.

Jace put a hand on his shoulder.

“Alec?” He asked in serious voice. “Are you okay?”

And Alec realized Clary wasn’t the only one who was ready to steal kneecaps for her friend.

While Magnus had been worried that Jace wouldn’t like him, Alec had actually been worried that Magnus wouldn’t like Jace. It wasn’t that there was something wrong with Jace.

Well, there were a couple of things Alec would like to change. But Jace was a good man.

It was just that Jace didn’t trust people easily. In fact, Alec had been the first person Jace had decided to trust.

And then Clary had come along.

It was one of the reasons he had decided to give the girl a chance since he trusted his partner’s judgement above all else.

Jace knew everything about him. Everything.

But something even Jace didn’t know about him was that the blonde boy had been the first person he had decided to trust too.

Alec wanted to talk to Jace about Magnus. But there was enough to worry about already. 

“I am okay,” Alec smiled. “I asked Magnus if I can move in with him.”

“Oh my god!” Clary shrieked and hugged him again. “Oh my god! I am so happy for you guys.”

Alec’s heart took a dive. Clary didn’t even ask if Magnus had said yes. She had just assumed that he would have said yes. Just as Alec had assumed too.

“This is going to be so much better than last time,” Clary patted him on the chest - mostly because she wasn't tall enough to pat him on the head. 

“Last time?” Alec asked.

“When Camille moved in with Magnus,” Clary grimaced. “She redecorated the entire apartment and I swear to god, it looked like vampire den. Not to mention that Magnus looked so damn miserable. Poor thing didn’t know her well at that point. They had only been dating for a couple of months. But thank god, that nightmare is over.”

Camille was someone Magnus didn’t like to discuss. So, everything Alec knew about her was from Clary or Catarina or Ragnor or Raphael. And none of them had anything kind to say about the woman.

And yet, Magnus had moved in with her all the same. Just after a couple of months.

“This is going to be so much fun,” Clary clapped her hands in glee. “You just made my whole day!”

“You’re welcome,” Alec smiled with difficulty, not wanting to break her spirit.

Jace who had been quiet during the whole conversation kept pulling on his jacket.

“You are not moving away because of me, right?” he asked quietly. “I’ll stop singing if you want.”

“But I enjoy your singing, bub,” Clary pouted.

“You do?” Alec asked and she slapped him on the arm.

“Is it the view?” Jace asked petulantly. “I mean, I can’t get you that view. But I did see a decent couch on craigslist. Maybe I can buy th-”

“Jace, I am not moving in with Magnus for his apartment,” Alec interrupted. “But god knows that place can ruin you forever.”

Clary nodded in understanding and took Jace’s hand in hers.

“It just felt right,” Alec said honestly. “And I don’t have to travel from Brooklyn to Manhattan all the time. You know how much I hate driving.”

“Well, you could just buy a bike,” Jace muttered.

“Do you not want me to move?” Alec asked.

“It’s not that,” Jace said hesitantly. “It’s just…It’s that I…I will-”

“Just tell him you will miss him, you big baby,” Clary sniffled slightly. “Oh, Alec. I will miss you too.”

“You don’t even live with him,” Jace protested. “Don’t steal my moment, Clary!”

“Okay now I don’t feel so confident about leaving you two alone in that apartment,” Alec confessed.

“Well, it’s not like we live together,” Clary chuckled.

“Although…” Jace dragged. 

The two of them stared at each other for a minute, smiling like idiots.

Great. Now they were probably going to move in together before Alec moved in with Magnus. This was just going so well.

“Well, I am not moving away immediately,” he said awkwardly and the lovebirds broke eye contact. “We, um, decided to wait till everything calms down a little bit, you know?”

“Oh,” Clary said. “Oh. That’s probably the sensible option.”

Was it?

“We just need to close this case and bury valentine’s ghosts for once and for all,” Alec said.

Despite years of therapy and support and reassurance, Clary flinched at the name. It wasn’t that she was afraid of him or embarrassed. She had no need to be. But sometimes, therapy and reassurance worked a little too well. You move on from your past and start over. You completely forget they were a part of your life.

Until the moment you get reminded and live through it all over again.

Alec was deeply acquainted with that feeling.

Jace pulled Clary closer and kissed her on the temple.

“Speaking of ghosts, nothing on Lilith from Iris Rouse either,” Clary said regretfully. “Raphael and I spoke to her for almost an hour. Nothing. But I can tell you this. Lilith is real. The moment we said the name, there was a glint in her eye. Whoever this Lilith person is, they are pretty damn important.”

“And pretty damn invisible,” Jace sighed. “I told Clary about the feds. She thinks it’s a good idea.”

“I just think you can use all the help you can get,” Clary shrugged. 

“Clary is right,” Alec nodded. “This is not a competition. We are all just trying to close this damn case and move on with our lives. So, if we need to work with the feds to get that done, then so be it.”

Jace sighed. Alec and Jace had been working together for almost five years now. They have been training together for even longer. Both of them were used to working with each other and didn’t really enjoy working with new people. But at least Alec was able to pretend. Jace – not so much.

It was another reason to finish this case on their own. He didn’t want Jace to get in trouble with the feds. And considering everything that happened with Valentine and afterwards…Alec knew there was going to be trouble.

“I’m gonna go talk to Lydia,” Alec told the two of them. “See you later, cupcake!”

“Only Magnus gets to call me pet names!” Clary shouted at him and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

The lightness in his heart immediately disappeared the moment he stepped into Lydia’s office. Alec had known her since the academy. She was his captain now. But she had always been just Lydia to him.

“What happened?” Alec said because neither of them enjoyed small talk.

“Blackwell tried to sue you and Jace,” Lydia said.

“For what?” Alec inquired in shock.

“Harassment,” Lydia sighed as she sat down. “He had apparently complained that Jace had threatened to kill him.”

“Well, that’s a lie!” Alec exclaimed in disbelief.

“Did Jace call him an asshole?” Lydia asked.

Alec hesitated.

“I don’t know,” he shook his head. “Maybe. But he didn’t threaten to kill him. Blackwell is just trying to get back at us.”

“I know, Alec,” Lydia replied firmly. “But we agreed, didn’t we? No more fucks up.”

Alec’s heart started hammering in his chest. Or it stopped. He didn't know.

“Lyds,” he whispered. “He didn’t do anything. Don’t do this to him. Not again. Please.”

She got up from her seat and rushed over to him. “I need you to breathe. Alec, calm down. Nothing is gonna happen.”

“But you said-”

“He said he _tried_ to sue,” she explained. “He didn’t get through with it.”

“What happened?” Alec asked.

“Magnus.”

Alec closed his eyes and sighed.

“I know Jace would never threaten a suspect," Lydia said now. "But remember that Blackwell is powerful. And even if he didn’t sue…His words still have an impact. It doesn’t bode well for us if there is a rumor that Jace threatened to kill a suspect…Especially after what happened.”

“Magnus didn’t tell me,” Alec bit his lip.

“It happened an hour ago,” Lydia said softly. “When I went to meet the governor…Magnus was there. He had to inform both of us.”

“What did the governor say?” Alec held his breath.

“He was pleased that Magnus handled the situation,” Lydia rolled her eyes. “Because of his camp-”

“His campaign, yes,” Alec said through gritted teeth. “But what about Jace? If Magnus handled it then Jace is not in trouble, right?”

She was quiet.

“Lydia,” Alec urged her.

“The governor doesn’t think we can solve this case – which is definitely why he is bringing in the feds. But Alec…That’s not it. It’s just not the precinct he doesn’t trust. He doesn’t trust Jace.”

No one really trusted Jace – not since they had discovered the truth about Valentine.

While they were in the academy, Valentine who was one of the guest commanders, had shown a special interest in Jace. He had trained Jace himself and made him his protégé. Alec had no problem in admitting that Jace was a better fighter than he was. It was a fact that no one could argue with. Valentine had been the best in his batch, and it was no surprise that Jace was the best in his own.

But when Jocelyn had turned on Valentine and everyone found out the extent of his crimes, all eyes had immediately turned towards Jace. Some people started to question his loyalty and while others downright pointed fingers.

It had been a nightmare.

Alec had to threaten to break many noses after Jace had been harassed by so many people. Some had even dared to send him death threats. Alec remembered sleeping outside of Jace’s door every night just to make sure he was safe. He remembered driving him to work because he had been worried sick about his partner.

And of course - there was the incident.

He didn’t want Jace to live through it again. _He_ didn’t want to live through it again.

“Of course, he cannot really do anything because Commander Herondale would raise hell,” Lydia said with a hint of pride.

Jace’s grandmother was not only the police commander of the city but was also one of the most respected members of the force. The fact that Jace’s father had been one of the best detectives in the force didn't hurt either. Stephen Herondale had been killed by one of Valentine’s members while on duty and he was considered a hero. So, it wasn’t really easy to get rid of Jace despite how much people people distrusted him. 

And yet…

“Privilege and pity,” Jace had said one night, when they were both drunk out of their mind. “That is what’s keeping me in the force.”

Alec, who came from a family of prestigious cops and who had just found out that his parents were Valentine’s chess pieces could only relate.

“To privilege and pity,” Alec had raised his bottle.

It was privilege and pity and patience that kept the two of them in the force. It was what allowed them to continue to lead the case on Valentine even after everything that had happened. So it was no wonder that everyone was waiting for one of them fuck up so they can grab the case from them.

“He doesn’t trust you either,” Lydia said now. “Because you are a Lightwood leading the case on Valentine.”

“Does this guy trust anyone?” Alec scoffed.

“Certainly not anyone on your team,” Lydia pointed out. “Which is also probably why he is so adamant about the feds taking over.”

“But if he wants us gone so bad and if he hates our guts so much, why didn’t the feds just take over today?” Alec asked. “Why did he even bother to give us an ultimatum?”

“Actually, he didn’t,” Lydia said quietly. 

Well that made sense.

“Let me guess,” Alec sighed. “Magnus.”

“He managed to negotiate three months for us,” Lydia informed him. “I don’t know how he did it but he did. Sometimes…Sometimes I think if it wasn’t for Magnus…”

Alec didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to think about the incident.

“Lydia, don’t go there,” Alec said.

She nodded.

“The point is, if it wasn’t for Magnus,” Lydia sat down again. “The feds would be all over this case right now.”

Alec felt like he heard the phrase ‘if it wasn’t for Magnus’ more often that he liked.

He wasn’t jealous. That wasn’t it. Clary was right. They _could_ use all the help they can get. But he didn’t like the fact that they relied on Magnus to fix everything for them. It made Magnus feel like they were his responsibility. It made him feel obligated.

Alec was worried that one day this responsibility would turn into a burden. He was afraid that the obligation would become an annoyance. 

That _he_ would turn into an annoyance. 

“Well, they aren't here right now,” Alec pointed out. “So, we are going to make sure we find Lilith before they do.”

“I hope so,” She smiled weakly. “There is…There is something else.”

Of course. Of course there was something else.

“Magnus may have handled the situation with Blackwell and the feds…But he is not going to be able to handle everything they throw at him.”

“Magnus can handle any-”

“I know, Alec! Magnus probably can handle anything they throw our way. But that doesn’t mean we have to test that theory.”

She was right. Magnus was good at what he did. But that didn’t mean they had to make it harder for him.

“It isn’t just the governor. No one likes the fact that a Lightwood and Valentine’s protégé are working together to close the case on the circle. You have to admit…It doesn’t look good.”

Alec understood that. He did. But he also couldn’t deny the fact that they were being held responsible for someone else’s mistakes.

“But we did nothing wrong!”

“You think they care about that?” Lydia demanded. “We cannot control what they do or how they react. We can only control what we do and how we react. And that’s why we follow the rule. No more fuck ups. Remember when we all agreed on that?”

No more fuck ups.

Alec did remember promising Lydia. And he had been careful since then. They had all been careful since then. Nobody wanted to live through that nightmare again.

“But we didn’t fuck up, Lydia,” Alec argued. “Blackwell’s accusation is false, and we are not responsible for the governor’s trust issues!”

“I know,” she sighed. “But at the end of the day, we follow orders. We do as we are told.”

Alec could seriously laugh. “So what? They are going to take the case away from the team?”

“If we don’t solve it, the case will be taken away from us anyway. That’s inevitable at this point,” she said, her voice frustrated now. “They don’t care about the case as much they care about who is handling it.”

“Fine, let the feds take it then,” Alec shrugged. “We’ll help them however we can.”

“You are not listening to me,” Lydia groaned. “They don’t want you and Jace working together. So, if and when the feds take over, both of you won’t be leading the case. It’s just going to be one of you.”

Oh.

Alec had put everything he had into this case. He had lost his parents. He had almost lost Magnus. He had lost so much because of this case.

But so had Jace.

“Jace can be primary then,” Alec said. “I don’t mind. He deserves it.”

“Alec, you don’t understand,” Lydia said, her voice full of pity. “If you fuck up one more time, they are going to split you two up.”

Alec stared at her.

“What do you mean they are going to split us up?”

“They don’t want the two of you working together because they think you are loyal to Valentine. It scares them. So, they will do whatever it takes to make themselves feel better. They can’t fire you. You are two of the best detectives we have. And firing you will turn into a controversy. So, the only way to handle this is to….”

“Split us up,” Alec finished.

“I am sorry,” she whispered.

“But Jace is my partner,” Alec said as if she didn’t know. “We trained since we were kids. I can’t…I can’t do this without him.”

“Alec, I know,” she reached out and took his hand. “And that’s why you need to be really careful. You just need to watch each other’s backs.”

But what was the point of being careful when they were held responsible for bullshit accusations anyway? What was the point when they were fighting to lose?

Then again. What Lydia said was true. At the end of the day, they had to follow orders. 

“No more fuck ups,” she whispered.

“No more fuck ups,” he whispered back.

His hands were starting to shake and his eyes felt a little moist. Alec excused himself and immediately made his way to the bathroom. He closed the door and sat down on the commode and put his face in his hands.

He wasn’t going to cry. He wasn’t going to cry in the fucking bathroom. Not again.

There was a soft knock on the door.

“Hey man...” the voice said. “Can we talk?”

Alec furiously wiped at the unshed tears and cleared his voice.

“Wait," his partner said suddenly. "Are you pooping?”

“I am just thinking,” Alec replied, holding his voice steady under his crumbling self-control.

“In here?” Jace asked and then gasped. “Oh my god, are you sending a dirty picture to Magnus??”

“What do you want, Jace?” Alec groaned.

“I just wanted to apologize,” Jace said from the other side. “I didn’t mean to sound like I wasn’t happy about you moving in with Magnus.”

“I know, Jace. I wasn’t offen-”

“You know I want you to be happy, right?” Jace carried on. “I just…I am just so used to having you by my side. I don’t…I don’t know how to function without you.”

Alec put his face in his hands again.

“So when you said you were moving out…I couldn’t help but feel like you were leaving me behind.”

Alec almost broken the door down as he opened it in a haste and found Jace leaning against the sink.

“Do you know the first thing I did when I realized I wanted to move in with Magnus?”

“Look for new bed covers?” Jace laughed nervously. “Canary is not your colour, man.”

“I googled the distance from our apartment to Magnus’,” Alec ignored Jace’s defense mechanism. “It takes 26 minutes in the subway. 1 hour in the bus. 19 minutes if I drive.”

He moved closer to Jace.

“I wanted to make sure I can get you if you need me,” Alec told his partner. “I am only going to be 19 minutes away.”

Jace smiled and Alec pulled him into a hug. Clary can be a little infectious.

“Let’s make it 25 since you drive Irene like a sloth,” Jace chuckled.

“Jokes on you since Magnus thinks I look sexy when I drive,” Alec pointed out.

“He thinks you look sexy when you snore. Magnus is compromised,” Jace shrugged. “We been knew.”

Alec pulled back slightly and ruffled his blonde hair affectionately – something Jace only ever allowed him to do.

“I will never leave you behind,” he said seriously. “You know that right?”

“What about that time when you saw Magnus in a mesh shirt and abandoned me at the gym?” Jace raised an eyebrow.

“I will never leave you behind unless I have to see Magnus in a mesh shirt,” Alec amended. “You know that, right?”

“I know,” Jace smiled and hugged him again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? 
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr @khaleesiofalicante
> 
> Fun fact: American law enforcement agents only solve around 21% of all reported crime. (Yikes?)


	4. Atatiana Jefferson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “First of all, stop yelling at me,” Magnus got up too. “Just because you speak louder, it doesn’t mean your arguments automatically become more valid. You need to make your case. Explain your side and tell me how-”
> 
> “Don’t give me that lawyer shit,” Alec rolled his eyes.
> 
> “I am trying to talk to you,” Magnus pointed out in frustration. “Which is way more than what you are doing.”
> 
> “I don’t see the point in talking,” Alec looked away. “It seems that we are looking at different futures.”
> 
> “Alec, I do want to move in with you,” Magnus said, feeling absolutely horrified at Alec’s implication. “You know what? If it means so much to you, then let’s do it. You can move in next weeken-”
> 
> “I don’t want to fucking move in now,” Alec hissed. “You should do it out of love, not out of pity.”
> 
> Early Meetings, Angsty Bois, Blind Ladies and Other Things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, I am sorry about the late update. 
> 
> But we have an 8k chapter...So, I suppose we are cool?
> 
> Happy reading :)

Magnus rang the bell and waited patiently.

It was early - just past six in the morning. He knew Alec must be asleep. His boyfriend was not a morning person by any means. But luckily someone else was.

“Good morning!” Jace sang and bowed as he welcomed Magnus into the apartment.

“Your morning enthusiasm is borderline offensive,” Magnus pointed out as he walked into the living room and discarded his coat and bag. “You really need to dial it down.”

“No thanks,” Jace replied, putting on his shoes. “I am about to head out for a morning jog. You wanna join?”

Jace had been unsuccessfully trying to convince to join his workout sessions for the past two years. He made some pretty good arguments to be honest. But unfortunately for him, Magnus had never lost an argument before. Not once.

“No thanks,” Magnus replied, as his feet reflexively took him to the coffee maker.

In the background, Jace was once again arguing about how Magnus needed more exercise to balance the stress.

Magnus knew he was right, but it was never a good idea to tell Jace that.

While he did move about everywhere, Magnus' work required him to do an insane amount of research. So, most of the time, Magnus was either peering at his laptop or had his nose buried in a case file.

He knew he needed to take better care of his health. But unlike Jace, he couldn’t make it a priority regardless of how much he tried. It almost felt like a chore. 

Magnus did practice yoga every once in a while. But he had to admit that he hadn’t rolled out his yoga mat in months. Not since they had started rounding up the sharks in the circle.

“You are a smart man,” his best friend had once told him. “So, I shouldn’t have to tell you this. You can’t just live on coffee and cereal, Magnus!”

“I don’t think I know how to cook, Cat!” Magnus had pointed out. “Even if I could, who has that kind of time? Do you know it takes 6 minutes to boil an egg? Six fucking minutes!”

Catarina had rolled her eyes and dropped the subject. But she always made sure to bring it up every now and then. She couldn’t help but be concerned about his health every time they met. Magnus reckoned it was an occupational hazard for her.

“It’s literally free. The sun is just giving it out for free and you people still don’t care! Wh do you not care about your vitamin D level, Magnus?” Jace was saying now, grabbing his earphones.

“Actually, I do,” Magnus nodded seriously. “In fact, I am about to go get some.”

He grabbed his coffee mug and walked toward Alec’s room without another word.

“I DON’T DESERVE THIS!” Jace yelled and he heard front door close with a thud.

He chuckled to himself and opened the door quietly as he could.

Despite how many times he had seen it, the sight always made his heart stutter. Alec was cocooned in blankets and was fast asleep on his stomach. He was snoring ever so gently, a sound which Magnus found to be ridiculously adorable.

He didn’t want to wake Alec up. But he also couldn’t help it.

He took off his shoes and jumped into bed. Alec didn’t stir all. Even with all the detective reflexes, the man slept like the dead.

“Alexander,” Magnus whispered.

Alec smiled, just with the corner of his lip. Just the way Magnus liked it.

“Alexander,” Magnus whispered a little louder.

“Hmmm,” Alec sighed contently and pulled the blankets closer.

Magnus moved closer, wrapping his hands around his boyfriend and buried his face in the crook of his neck.

“Alexander,” he said again.

“Magnus.”

_There you are._

His voice was raspy. Not just because he was sleepy and the sun was barely out, but sometimes it’s just how Alec called his name. In a raspy voice that was full of want and desire – like he couldn’t believe that magnus was real, that he was here.

“Alexander,” Magnus smiled.

“I will never get tired of hearing you say my name,” Alec yawned and pulled him closer.

“Then how about I recite a poem? About your name?” Magnus chuckled. “Thy name calls for protection but my heart-”

“Shh,” Alec shushed him gently. “Sleepy time. No talking.”

“That’s true,” Magnus agreed. “Why waste our mouths by talking when we could put it for better use?”

Alec turned around sharply, almost startling Magnus. “Okay. Sleepy time over. I am awake now.”

Magnus’ laughter in response echoed everywhere in the bedroom – amongst other sounds that followed later.

There were somethings that never felt like a chore.

Kissing Alec. Loving Alec. Protecting Alec.

Regardless of how many times they did it, Magnus always wanted more. Every time he kissed Alec; he would think about the next time. Every time Alec touched him; he would be excited for the next one. Alec always kept him wanting more. It was never enough.

Magnus liked that weird needy feeling – because he never wanted to stop wanting Alec.

“Sometimes I worry that you are going to run away in the middle of the night,” Alec had said once during those early days.

They had been lying in bed naked just as they were right now - head full of adrenaline, skin full of sweat and heart full of love.

“I mean, I do like a dramatic exit,” Magnus had grinned. “But I am not going to run away, Alexander. Why would you even think that?”

“Because there is nothing grounding you to New York,” Alec had bit his lip. “What if you get a judgeship or something in another state? What would you do?”

Magnus remembered pulling Alec on top of him then.

“There is plenty grounding me to New York,” he had promised his boyfriend. “Besides, I am not going to apply anytime soon. Not until we close this case. So, no frowning, okay?”

They had not picked up the subject again. Not really. But Magnus knew that Alec always worried, even if he didn’t show it. He had thought that Alec worried about himself, but time had taught him that Alec most worried for those around him. 

Alec was now lying on the other end of the bed, gently biting on Magnus’ hip.

“We did cardio, and we got some vitamin D,” Magnus pointed out triumphantly. “Take that, Jace!”

Alec slowly kissed his way to Magnus' chest and then ended up at his lips. “Magnus, I love you. But please don’t talk about Jace after we just had sex.”

“But I have one more joke,” Magnus pouted, and Alec kissed him.

“Later,” he said. “For now, I am going to make us breakfast.”

He got up, pulled on a pair of ratty grey sweatpants off the rack.

“My coffee is cold,” Magnus complained as he peered into the mug.

“I know you had a cup before you left home,” the infuriating detective guessed correctly as he took the mug away. “No more coffee for now. I am going to get you some juice. And Something solid.”

“I know something juicy and soli-”

“Save that one for Jace,” Alec interrupted and gave him a quick kiss before disappearing out the door.

Magnus pouted again and fell back against the bed.

Magnus was one of those people who didn’t know how exactly to enjoy the weekend. It was hard to enjoy anything when Valentine’s ghosts hovered above them.

It wasn’t that they didn’t like to go out as much as other couples, but they just could not find the time. It was hard to find a time that suited the both of them since they were both so busy and working so hard. So, a long time ago, they had decided to come up with a plan to spend their free time with each other while also trying to work the case.

Magnus usually spent the weekends at Alec’s or vice versa. They would usually have sex, talk about the case, make fun of Jace, have more sex, talk more about the case and make some more fun of Jace.

It wasn’t bad, all things considered.

But sometimes Magnus couldn’t help but wonder what their lives would be like after they had solved the case. While it did seem that the case might never be closed or just go cold, Magnus knew that he wouldn’t give up on it – and neither would Alec.

But what happens after they had exorcised the ghosts and fought all the demons? What would their normal look like? What would they do? What would they talk about when they didn’t have Valentine as a common interest?

He supposed he just had to figure it out like everyone else. Except that this is not the kind of relationship dilemma that normal people were confused about. Normal people would be worried about things like moving in together or meeting the parents or-

Magnus winced. They were both sensitive topics for him right now. Maybe pillow talk about Valentine and the circle was not bad after all.

He walked over to the bathroom to clean himself up. The man in the mirror looked slightly more flushed, thanks to Alec. But Magnus did notice that he was slightly thinner than he used to be too. Maybe he should take Jace up on those morning runs.

Good lord. What had his life come to? Bloody Valentine!

After a quick clean up, Magnus couldn’t help but pick up his phone and check his emails. Nothing from Luke. Luke had promised him that he would get back immediately if they found anything on Lilith. But couple from did have a couple of messages from his colleagues that might be worth looking into – even on a Saturday. Everyone was working so hard to find this woman and close this case. Well, at least Magnus reckoned it was a woman. It wasn’t like they knew that for sure either.

He couldn’t believe that after years of work, they were finally here. They had finally caught up with the killer whale. Valentine’s closest confidant and associate. Victory had never felt closer or farther away. It was both torture and salvation.

Magnus had been looking forward to closing this door for so long that it the possibility slightly unnerved him. Every time he had thought of moving on with his life, he would postpone it to the ‘After Valentine’ period.

Whether it was focusing on his health or moving in with Alec or applying for the judgeship, Magnus had been waiting to be done with the Valentine case so he could focus on his personal goals. But now that he was so close to the end, it made him realize that it was time to move forward.

A part of him, a very tiny part of him hoped the case would last longer just so he didn’t have to move forward.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. He did. He really, really did.

He wanted to be healthy and not worry Catarina every other week about some part of his body that ached. He wanted to get that judgeship and do what he could to create that change he so wanted to see. And most importantly, he wanted to live with Alec and wake up to his adorable snores ever morning.

He did want all of that.

He was just scared.

It angered him to realise how much Valentine had messed all of them up - directly and indirectly. It was all the more reason to be done with this case. 

A large part of his career, just as Alec’s and Jace’s, had been around trying to fix everything Valentine had messed up. They had been doing damage control for so long that he didn’t know how exactly to own his autonomy and do whatever he wanted without being tied down by Valentine’s ghosts.

But he supposed he will cross that bridge when he gets there. With Alec.

He put on his shirt and went to the kitchen. Jace was leaning against the counter, in his black tank top and boxers, licking peanut butter off his fingers.

“Well, that’s definitely healthy,” Magnus rolled his eyes as he walked towards Alec, who was cutting toast and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Fuck you,” Jace said. “I earned every lick.”

“So did I,” Magnus winked.

“WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS!” Jace yelled. “WHY???”

“Jace, stop licking your fingers and go put on some pants,” Alec said without turning around. “Magnus, stop baiting him.”

“Give up on my sense of humor?” Magnus asked. “This early in the morning?”

“Put on pants and hide my calves?” Jace echoed. “This early in the morning?”

“You know, you two should date each other,” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Too much narcissism,” Magnus said.

“Too much penis,” Jace added.

Alec did not find them funny. “Jace. Pants. Now. I will not ask again.”

“Stop peer pressuring me into wearing pants, man!” Jace complained.

“Stop making me peer pressure you into wearing pants then,” Alec countered.

It was not the worse argument he had heard in his experience, but it was definitely not the most productive either. So, Magnus decided to go through his messages.

“You can’t tell people what to wear, Alec!” Jace tutted. “That’s not very progressive.”

“Magnus, some help please?”

“Jonathan, put on some pants,” Magnus said, without looking up from his phone.

“Ah-ha!” he heard Alec shout triumphantly. “The ruling has been made. You have been found guilty of gross indecency.”

“Objection, your honour!” Jace protested.

“On what grounds? Alec argued.

“I don’t see why we are focusing on my pants when we should be focusing on Alec’s,” Jace said solemnly. “The only gross indecency in this room is your sweatpants, Alec. You’ve had them since academy.”

“They are comfy!” Alec argued.

“Your honor?” Jace asked, batting his eyelashes.

“Objection sustained,” Magnus replied with a grin.

“Magnus!” Alec looked actually betrayed. “How could you?”

“Darling,” Magnus shrugged apologetically “I can’t let the record show that I ruled against your disrobing!”

“Damn, it feels so good to win!” Jace punched his fist in the air.

“This not a real case,” Alec pointed out sourly.

“Such a sore loser,” Jace stuck out his tongue. “You know, you complain now but when you move in with Magnus, you are going to miss these calves.”

Alec would have had a retort for that. But he was too busy trying to hide his disappointment. Jace might have missed it since he was busy with the peanut butter - but Magnus didn’t.

“Jace,” Alec cleared his voice. “Go take a shower. You stink.”

“You stink,” Jace parroted back. “You stinky loser.”

“Actually,” Magnus interrupted. “I was hoping we could have a brief discussion about the case.”

“It’s the weekend, Magnus,” Alec sighed.

“I-” Magnus started but then stopped. “You are right. We should probably-”

“No no, I am sorry,” Alec apologised quickly. “You are right. We have a deadline. Let's do this. Balcony.”

They regrouped in the balcony with toast and juice and coffee.

Magnus’s hands immediately went to the coffee, but Alec slapped his hand and pointed at the juice. Magnus rolled his eyes.

“Anything from the precinct,” Magnus asked. “The CI?”

“No,” Alec shrugged. “From the DA’s office?”

“Nada,” Magnus said.

“Wow,” Jace said. “When you said brief discussion, you really meant it, huh?”

“We need to come up with something,” Alec said. “We only have three months.”

“We literally have nothing on her,” Magnus shared with the two of them. “There is no Lilith in connection any of the Circle files. We checked with every single precinct in the state.”

“Magnus,” Alec said in his concerned boyfriend voice. “You didn’t tell me that. I would have helped you.”

“You were talking to the Cis with Lydia,” Magnus waved it off. “It’s alright. I handled it. It wasn’t like it led to anything anyway.”

“This is exactly how it happened with our parents,” Jace clenched his jaw. “They were just stuck with nothing. Nothing moved. Not until Jocelyn came along.”

“Well, we can’t just sit on our asses and wait for Lilith to come and turn herself in,” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Why do I feel like we aren’t going to find this woman unless she wants to be found?” Jace pondered worriedly.

“Because you are being too pessimistic,” Alec rolled his eyes. “We need a strategy that is practical and effective. One that requires doing actual police work.”

“Maybe we can ask Seelie Queen again?” Jace suggested. “She is...kinda...obsessed with me.”

“No,” Alec said sharply.

“Alec, it’s just a quick vis-”

“Not a fucking chance,” Alec said so forcefully that made both Jace and Magnus blink. “I am not letting you go there on your own.”

“But-”

“Jace-”

“Listen, I think I can convince her,” Jace walked over to him now. “I don’t care if I need to flirt with her. We need intel. We need something. Anything. She is the one who snitched on Lilith in the first place. Maybe I can bait her with parole?”

Magnus saw it happen before the words left Alec’s mouth. The way his fist clenched on the side. The way he closed his eyes in pain.

“DO YOU THINK THIS IS A FUCKING JOKE?” Alec exploded.

Jace blinked.

“Do you have a fucking death wish? Is that what this is about?” Alec inquired. “I cannot believe you would even want to go back there, let alone bait someone powerful like Seelie Queen after everything that happened. What is wrong with you?”

“But the case-” Jace stammered.

“I need you to use your head, Jace!” Alec looked like he wanted to pull out his own hair. “No more fuck ups, remember?”

“I do remember,” Jace replied, now starting to look pissed. “And for the record, I do not have a death wish. I just want to be done with this case like everyone else. Do not mistake my exasperation for negligence.”

“You are not going to talk to her and that’s final,” Alec said in voice that was not to be argued with. "We can't afford to mess anything up."

Jace, who was never offended by anything, looked utterly hurt. “You don’t…you don’t trust me. Is that it? You don’t trust me to conduct myself and act like an adult?”

“Jace…” Alec put his head in his hands. “I am just trying to protect you.”

“FROM WHAT?” Jace yelled now. “I CAN PROTECT MYSELF, ALEC! I AM A FUCKING COP!”

“As if that matters in prison,” Alec muttered.

“Alexander,” Magnus said sharply.

He never intervened in their relationship. Not as a lawyer or a friend. He knew what Alec and Jace had was special. It was a bond that most people couldn’t even begin to understand. To be entirely honest, sometimes Magnus didn’t quite understand it himself. But just because you didn’t understand something, it didn’t mean it wasn’t real. Magnus knew how much they meant to each other. He knew that protecting Jace meant everything to Alec – especially after The Incident.

“If anything happens to him….” Alec had whispered into his neck that night. “If anything happens to him…”

“You will get through this,” Magnus had gently rubbed his back. “Alexander, you will get thr-”

“You don’t understand,” Alec had pulled back and stared at him incredulously. “If anything happens to him…A part of me will be lost forever.”

“Alec-”

“I know I can get through it, Magnus,” Alec had said that day and Magnus never forgot it. “But I don’t want to. I don’t want to get through anything without Jace by my side.”

It was then that Magnus had realized that protecting Alec meant protecting Jace too. He hadn’t realized what he had signed up for when he had started dating Alec. It made things difficult. Complicated. Cumbersome.

But for some reason, it only made him love Alec even more. The love he had for Jace was unlike anything he had seen before. He knew it was completely different from the love he had for Magnus. He didn’t feel jealous. Not at all. It was impossible to be jealous of something you couldn’t quite wrap your head around.

However, he knew one thing. He knew that people who loved us the most were the also the ones who could hurt us the most. He knew that there was only a fine line between the need to protect and hurt. He knew that love can very easily turn into abuse.

He knew it all too well.

“Alexander,” he said again, as calmly as he could. “That is enough.”

Alec dropped his plate of half-eaten toast on the table. “Let’s just work on our own and regroup if we find anything. Underhill has been looking at social media posts anything to do with Lilith and New York. I am going to see if I can find anything to help him. Magnus, can I borrow your laptop?”

“What?” Magnus blinked. “Um, yes. It’s in my bag. I left it on the couch, I think.”

And Alec was out of the balcony just like that.

Jace was sitting down now, poking holes in his toast.

“It just makes sense to talk to her,” he sounded like a wounded animal. “She is the one who gave us a tip.”

“Yes, it does,” Magnus agreed. “Alec just thinks you shouldn’t be the one to do it.”

“Why not?” Jace looked up now. “I am a lead detective in the case too. I have every right.”

“It’s not about your authority, Jace,” Magnus said gently.

“Then is it my capacity?” Jace questioned. “Does he think I can’t handle a simple interrogation?”

“Jonath-”

“I am so fucking tired of this,” Jace stood hastily and walked over to the balcony railing. “They all either treat me like a criminal or a victim. Like a villain or a child. Is it ever going to stop?”

“I think they are all just worried,” Magnus smiled sadly. “Especially Alec.”

“It’s been almost two years, Magnus!” Jace groaned. “How long do I have to put with this bullshit? They asked me to take a leave of absence for six fucking months after…after what happened. I did that. Then they asked me to go for mandatory therapy. I do that too. Then they put me on desk work for almost a year. I was fine with that as long as I could be a cop.”

Magnus saw his quivering lips and glassy eyes. He walked over to the other man and put his hand on his shoulder.

“It’s all I know how to be,” Jace said. “I was trained to be a cop since the moment I was born. Why are they trying to take that away from me?”

“They are not,” Magnus reassured him. “They are trying to protect you.”

“FROM WHAT?” Jace snapped. “VALENTINE IS DEAD. WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO PROTECT ME FROM?”

“You know what, Jace,” he whispered.

Jace closed his eyes. “You know I will never put them through that again. I can take the pain. I can do it. But I will never put Clary…and Alec…I can’t do that to them again. Not again.”

"I know I joke around,” Jace continued softly. “But I am so careful. I know there can be no more fuck ups. And I won’t. I won’t fuck up again – because I never want them to worry about me again.”

“I don’t think we can stop people who love us from worrying about us,” Magnus smiled. “It’s kind of a package deal.”

“I hate it when he is angry with me,” Jace pouted ever so slightly. “I don’t…I don’t feel right when Alec is angry with me.”

“I don’t think he is angry with you,” Magnus said. “He is angry with himself. With Valentine. With the system. He just cares too much about you, Jace. ”

“But why did he shout at me then?” Jace asked incredulously.

“Because people do that when they care too,” Magnus shrugged.

“That doesn’t make any sense!”

“I know,” Magnus said. “It’s stupid.”

Jace rolled his eyes and turned around, his eyes seeking Alec beyond the balcony entrance. But Alec had disappeared into his bedroom along with his laptop. Magnus decided it was time to go calm him down too.

“I know he worries about me,” Jace said softly. “But he doesn’t shout at me like that. Is..Is everything okay? Is he not telling me something?”

Magnus remembered the talk with the governor – but the potential split up. He had practically begged the governor not to split up Jace and Alec – not just because it could affect the case, but he knew it would affect Alec in more ways than one.

It was obvious that Jace didn’t know. God only knew what the man would do if he found out they tried to take Alec away from him. But it wasn’t right to keep it from him. It was only fair that he knew what was at stake.

Magnus understood Alec’s need to protect Jace from all the big bad monsters that tried to hurt him. But Jace needed to learn to fight them himself too. He was a good fighter. Far better than anyone Magnus knew. So, they just had to trust him to do what is right and be strong. Someone had tell him about the potential consequences for them as partners and for the whole case if something goes wrong. Someone had to tell him that Jace might no longer work with Alec if one of them fucks up.

But that someone wasn’t Magnus. It wasn’t his place to break the news.

“I think he is just worried about the case,” Magnus said, which wasn’t entirely untrue. “The feds are taking over. There is pressure from the governor, and we are under an unrealistic deadline. It can get to you.”

“Hmmm,” Jace nodded and looked away.

“Hey,” Magnus said gently. “He shouldn’t have done that. We are all under pressure right now. But that doesn’t mean we should take it out on each other. We just have to work together, okay? I’ll talk to Alec. He’ll be okay. You’ll be okay too.”

“You should do a podcast,” Jace said after a while. “Your voice is very soothing.”

Magnus laughed. “Maybe I will. But remember what I said. Never doubt that he doesn’t care. He cares about you very much – more than he does about anyone else.”

“Hm, I am not so sure,” Jace smiled and turned towards him. “Is he like this with you too?”

“Overprotectively annoying?” Magnus chuckled. “He has an app on his phone to track my daily water intake. So, yes.”

“It reminds you to drink a glass of water every two hours . Every time you drink water, you need to log it here,” Alec had pointed out after installing the stupid thing on his phone. “And I have synced it to my phone too, so I can see whether you are drinking enough water.”

“You know I can lie to the app, right?” Magnus had rolled his eyes.

“You can,” Alec had shrugged. “But then you will be lying to me too.”

“Asshole,” Magnus had cursed his boyfriend and had drunk a glass of water then and there.

“Actually, that was my idea,” Jace said awkwardly now and then yelled when Magnus hit him on the shoulder. “What? Alec told me you only drink one bottle every day and that is some dangerous shit, bro!”

“It is an invasion of my privacy is what it is,” Magnus rolled his eyes and picked up some water from the table and drank it because the stupid app had got to him. “Dick move.”

“Alec doesn’t think when it comes to the protecting the people he loves. He just acts. Just like Izzy. Even Max. They are all so protective.” Jace smiled. “He is not a dick. He is just a Lightwood.”

“Well, he is welcome to light my wood any time,” Magnus grinned.

“Get out of here before I throw you off the balcony,” Jace said threateningly.

Magnus made his escape but paused at the balcony door.

“Hey, Jonathan!’ he called out. “I’ll talk to her.”

“Talk to whom?” Jace raised an eyebrow.

“Seelie Queen,” Magnus clarified. “I did prosecute her after all. I’ll do it.”

“Magnus, no,” Jace said immediately. “You don’t have to. It’s my job.”

“It’s no problem,” Magnus smiled. “She is at Bedford Hills. I have worked with them before.”

He hasn’t. But protecting Alec meant protecting Jace. It was a package deal too.

“Okay,” Jace agreed somewhat reluctantly. “How long does it take to get you in?”

“A few days at least. It’s maximum security as you know.”

“Of course,” Jace nodded. “Keep us posted.”

Magnus nodded back and walked straight into Alec’s room and locked the door. Alec was working on his laptop and looked extremely frustrated. Was he still angry with Jace?

He completed understood where Alec came from. It’s normal for people to get angry with the ones they loved – especially when you are trying to protect them.

But just because it’s normal, it doesn’t mean it’s okay.

“Okay three things,” he announced. “Firstly, please tell me you found a Facebook fan page for the cult of Lilith or something like that. We really need that win. Secondly, if your little stalking idea doesn’t work out, we are going to go ahead with Jace’s plan. It makes sense, Alec. She is the one who gave us the tip. She might say more. And don’t worry. I’ll be interrogating her – not Jace. We sorted it out. Which brings me to my third point, what the hell was that out there? Darling, I know you are worried about him. But you can’t channel your frustrations at Jace. You really should apologize to him.”

Alec was quiet – still staring intently at the laptop.

“You got an email from Luke,” Alec said.

Magnus blinked. It wasn’t the response he had expected at all.

“What is it about?” Magnus quickly sat down on the bed. “Is it about Lilith? Luke said he would text me right away if he found anything.”

“No,” Alec replied shortly and passed him the laptop.

Magnus looked at him worriedly before focusing on the screen. It was an email from Luke. But not about Lilith.

“You applied for a judgeship?” Alec asked.

The disbelief and disappointment in his voice tasted bitter in Magnus’ mouth.

“I didn’t,” Magnus replied. “Luke is just keeping an eye out for potential opportunities. He said he will help me in any way he can.”

“Well?” Alec asked.

“Well what?”

“Are you going to apply?”

“Of course not,” Magnus said incredulously. “You think I am ready for a judgeship in the middle of all of this?”

“That’s precisely my point, Magnus!” Alec sighed. “Is this really necessary with everything we have going on?”

“Alexander,” Magnus said patiently. “I am not applying. I am just testing the waters. It’s important to be prepared. There is no harm in start looking for opportunities right now.”

“It’s in fucking LA, Magnus!” Alec all but yelled.

“And I am not applying,” Magnus reiterated again. “Just looking.”

“Just looking,” Alec rolled his eyes. “Because that’s the number one priority right now.”

Magnus had learned many things from his mother. She had taught him how to dance, how to fold his shirts without creases, how to look people in the eye.

Most importantly, she had taught him never to apologize for taking care of himself.

“I will not apologise for prioritizing my future, Alec,” Magnus snapped. “We are all looking forward to moving on from this case. You can’t blame me for thinking about it too. I want to know what my future looks like.”

And for the second time that day, Alec’s reaction surprised him.

He laughed. He actually laughed out loud.

“You are such a hypocrite,” Alec said, still laughing bitterly at him. “Of course it’s alright to think about your future and you moving forward with life.”

“What are you even talking about?” Magnus asked, feeling genuinely confused.

“You said no to moving in together,” Alec got up from the bed and walked towards his window. “You said it’s not the right time – that we should do it after we close the case.”

“And I stand by that,” Magnus said firmly. “What does that have to do with an-”

“You don’t get it,” Alec yelled. “Moving in together is my way of moving forward with life, Magnus. It’s my next step. It’s my priority.”

“First of all, stop yelling at me,” Magnus got up too. “Just because you speak louder, it doesn’t mean your arguments automatically become more valid. You need to make your case. Explain your side and tell me how-”

“Don’t give me that lawyer shit,” Alec rolled his eyes.

“I am trying to talk to you,” Magnus pointed out in frustration. “Which is way more than what you are doing.”

“I don’t see the point in talking,” Alec looked away. “It seems that we are looking at different futures.”

“Alec, I do want to move in with you,” Magnus said, feeling absolutely horrified at Alec’s implication. “You know what? If it means so much to you, then let’s do it. You can move in next weeken-”

“I don’t want to fucking move in now,” Alec hissed. “You should do it out of love, not out of pity.”

“I don’t know what you want from me!” Magnus said now. “Jesus Christ! What’s gotten into you today!”

“Great! It’s all my fault!” Alec threw his hands up in frustration. “Jace is acting like an idiot and wants to go on suicide missions. You are being selfish and keeping secrets from me.”

“Secrets??? Alec, I told you I didn’t apply for it!” Magnus was starting to get exasperated now. “Luke was just loo-”

“Then what about the Blackwell thing? Or about the fact that they are most definitely going to split Jace and I apart? Or how you liaised with he governor to saved our asses again? When were you going to tell me about that?”

“You do realize all of this happened yesterday?” Magnus couldn’t believe it. “It literally happened yesterday. And I was stuck with the governor for the rest of the day. It didn’t sound like something I should have informed over text. So, I told Lydia to talk to you about it.”

“Well, we could have talked about it earlier today,” Alec pointed out.

“In case you didn’t notice, you were too busy fucking me earlier today,” Magnus yelled now. “And then you were too busy yelling at that poor boy who wanted to do nothing but help.”

“Great. Once again, it is all my fault then.”

“You are not the only one who is trying to protect people here, Alec,” Magnus tried to gain back his control. “We are all just trying to keep each other safe, okay?”

“I just need you to be honest with me, Magnus,” Alec turned around now. “This case is a fucking nightmare. We literally don’t know anything about Lilith. I am so fucking lost. So, how do you think I feel when I found out you didn’t tell me about any of this?”

“Because there isn’t anything to say,” Magnus pointed out in frustration. “Alec, I understand that this whole situation is scary. And that’s precisely why we need to stay calm and think sensibly. If I didn’t tell you anything because it doesn’t concern you. Because I don’t want to worry you unnece-”

“Doesn’t concern me?” Alec laughed again. “You are moving across the country doesn’t concern me?”

“Oh, for the love of god, I am not moving to fucking LA!” Magnus shouted. “And it’s not like you tell me everything either.”

“Oh. Is something else my fault?” Alec asked sarcastically. “Do tell.”

“We decided not to move in together and yet you told Jace and Clary that we are,” Magnus pointed out.

Clary had made an entire Pinterest board to redecorate the apartment to prepare in advance. He didn’t have the heart to break her enthusiasm, so he had played along. It wasn’t her fault that she was excited about the prospect – especially when she was misled.

“But we are moving in together aren’t we?” Alec asked, his voice suddenly nervous.

“Well, not right now,” Magnus pointed out. “There is no need to tell people and make it into a big deal. If people get to know that we live together then-”

He didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to scare Alec. He didn’t want to talk about it at all.

“You know what, Magnus?” Alec said now, looking absolutely done. “If you don’t want to move in with me, then just say it.”

“I am telling you this is not the right situation,” Magnus said, even though it was only half true. “Why are you making this about yourself?”

“How am I not supposed to make this about myself when it literally is about me?” Alec questioned. “It’s not like you were this reluctant to move in with other people.”

“What on earth are you even talking about?” Magnus was in the deep sea now.

“Camille,” Alec spit out the name as if it was poison. “Didn’t you move in with her just after months? We have been dating for two years. Two fucking years.”

“Oh my god,” It was his turn to laugh now. “Oh my god. I can’t believe you are actually pulling this shit.”

“Now who is making it about me?” Alec snapped.

No. No. This wasn’t happening. This is not how he pictured this conversation going. This is not how we pictured this day going at all. Someone had to give up. Someone had to give in. Someone had to the grown up. And it wasn’t going to be Alec. Not today.

“Alec, what I had with Camille was something else,” Magnus explained calmly. “It was rushed. Dependent. Scary. The way I felt about her isn’t the way I feel about you. Yes, I did move in with her after two months. But that’s because I felt strongly about her at the time. It felt right. Like I needed her with me to live.”

“Okay so you loved her more than you love me,” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Are you even listening to a goddamn thing I am saying?” Magnus groaned in exasperation. 

Fuck being the grown up. He was tired.

“I am. You said you felt strongly about her and that you felt like you couldn’t live without her. I get it.”

“I am saying relationships are different,” Magnus said through gritted teeth. “You would know that if you had dated at least one person before me.”

Magnus regretted the words immediately as they left his mouth.

Alec turned around sharply. He looked shocked, but mostly disappointed.

“You said you would never use it against me. You promised my inexperience doesn’t matter. And yet, here we are. All so you can win a fucking argument. Congratulations, counsellor. Another victory!”

“Alexander, just pl-”

“Don’t fucking Alexander me,” he snapped, his voice cold as ice. “It’s clear no one around here cares what I have to say. Do whatever you want, Magnus. I am going to the precinct.”

And just like that, Magnus was all alone in that tiny bedroom. He sat down on the bed and tried to compartmentalize. Usually in court, when the defense brought in a surprise witness or an unexpected piece of evidence, he would try not to freak out. He would sit down, take a couple of deep breaths and trying to figure out the case.

But he didn’t want to do that right now.

His Alexander was not a case. He was the love of his life.

He wished he could talk to Alec about how much he meant to him. About how what he felt for Alec didn’t hold a light to what he had felt for Camille or anyone else before that.

He wanted to tell Alec that he was his One and his Only.

But Alec wasn’t here.

It was obvious that Alec didn’t want to listen. It was obvious that he had too much going on. The two of them had much to work on and a lot to talk about – Magnus wouldn’t deny that. But it was also obvious that this case was weighing them both down. It was obvious that something had to be done before this case tore apart everything that mattered to him.

Alec had already lost so much because of this case. He wasn’t going to lose Magnus because of it too.

Magnus walked out the room and picked up his phone from his pocket and immediately started dialing.

He did something he wasn’t proud of. But it was for Alec. It was for the both of them.

“Hey, where is Alec?” Jace wondered into the living room, finally having taken a shower and putting on some pants.

“He went to the precinct,” Magnus answered, putting his phone down. “Something about looking social media profiles.”

“Ohhh,” Jace whistled. “That was Underhill’s strategy. Who knows? Lilith might be killing it on Snapchat.”

“Let’s hope so,” Magnus smiled as brightly as he could. “Alright, I am off. I need to prep for tomorrow.

“What’s tomorrow?” Jace looked confused. “Tommorrow is Sunday.”

“I am going to Bedford Hlls.”

“Tomorrow?” Jace asked. “But I thought it takes days – probably longer with someone with a high profile.”

“I have a friend who works there,” Magnus lied. “But it’s a tight window. So, I gotta go.”

“But you didn’t even have breakfast!” he heard Jace yell as he ran down the stairs.

He caught the subway and tried to relax as the train took him home. He tried to think of what he was going to do or say when he met Seelie Queen tomorrow. The woman was not going to give up the information easily. She would definitely be looking for some sort of compensation.

He tried to think of strategy, but his head kept conjuring up images of Alec.

Alec sleeping cocooned in his blankets.

Alec moaning as his hands clenched his hair. 

Alec looking completely and utterly disappointed.

Alec leaving him all alone in that room.

Magnus stared at his reflection in the subway window. He looked a little disappointed too. But he wasn’t sure at whom.

Something flashed in the reflection and Magnus looked down at his chest. His hands closed around the tiny object and he rested his head against the window.

“Do you know why her eyes are closed?” Alec had asked, as he had fastened the necklace around his neck.

Magnus remembered his boyfriend’s breath tickling the back of his neck then, sending a shiver down his entire body. He remembered the golden Lady Justice pendant hanging close to his chest, right next to his heart - which it kept beating ‘alec alec alec alec’.

“The blindfold represents impartiality,” Magnus had answered with a cheeky grin, because he was a bit of a know-it-all. “That justice should be applied to everyone regardless of their wealth or power.”

“Wrong,” Alec had said then. “Her eyes are closed because sometimes justice isn’t easy. That shit is complicated.”

“Very eloquent,” Magnus had teased.

“Listen to me. Sometimes justice can be fucking exhausting. So, you just gotta close your eyes and take a break. That’s why her eyes are closed. Because she is taking a moment to herself. To think about everything that matters. To remember what is important. ”

Magnus remembered laughing then, with all his heart. “Okay I like that one better.”

“I know this job isn’t easy – especially for those who want to do it the right way,” Alec had said almost two years ago. “So, if shit ever gets exhausting, I want you to hold her and think of me. I want you to take a moment and remember what matters and what is important.”

“And what is that?”

“That I love you,” Alec had confessed for the very first time. “And that I always will. No matter what. Ain’t nothing complicated or exhausting about loving you, Magnus Bane.”

Magnus’ hands held the pendent even tighter now. He kept his eyes closed and remembered what was important.

Alec.

As he walked from the subway station to his apartment building, he mentally prepped himself for tomorrow, taking down all the important notes in his phone. He wasn’t going to mess this up. He was not going to come out of there tomorrow without something on Lilith.

What was her niche? All of them had some sort of area of expertise that they handled on behalf of Valentine. What did Lilith take care of? What was she responsible for?

 _Drugs?_ Magnus wrote down in his phone.

He kept replaying the day at the court with Seelie Queen – trying to think of something she might have said. A clue he must have missed. Something. Anything. Lilith. Come on! Something! The woman was too quiet. There was no noise from her end. Just dead silence.

Lilith. Lilith. Lilith. Who was she? Where was she? Did she know he was looking for her? Did she care?

And just like that, it was there.

 _“There were people watching,”_ Seelie Queen had whispered in his ear that day. _“They have people everywhere.”_

Maybe…Just maybe…

Maybe they didn’t have to find Lilith after all. Maybe they just had to pretend like they have. Maybe if she knew she was in trouble, she would make some noise. Maybe she would break the silence then.

 _“Why do I feel like we aren’t going to find this woman unless she wants to be found?”_ Jace had asked earlier.

Maybe he was not wrong.

If they can’t find Lilith, maybe they should let her find them.

He immediately called his closest confidante.

“Do you think it would work?” Magnus bit his lip, as he crossed the road. “Would she take the bait?”

“She just might,” Luke said from the other end. “It’s a better plan than anything we right now.”

“Are you sure?” Magnus asked. “I know it’s not…entirely the truth.”

“Well, she doesn’t know that does she?” Luke pointed out. “We just need to be careful with our language. We are just going to say someone came forward to reveal her identity and we are currently in the process of interrogating the CI.”

“We should say a close source came forward,” Magnus took down the note in his phone quickly. “Seelie Queen mentioned there is no loyalty in the circle. So, it makes sense for someone close to betray Lilith.”

“That’s brilliant,” Luke exclaimed a little to enthusiastically. “Will you draft the press release for me?”

“I am literally typing it as we speak,” Magnus pointed out proudly.

“Fantastic! I am calling Lydia right now.”

“Oh god,” Magnus almost giggled. “Are we really doing this?”

“Yes, we are,” he could hear Luke’s grin from the other end. “We should call DCS first thing tomorrow morning. Brace yourself for some breaking news, Magnus.”

“God, I fucking love this job,” Magnus closed his eyes. 

This could be it. If they find her, the case will be closed, and they could all move on. Move forward.

As he ended the call, he heard Luke yell a yeehaw on the other end of the line. 

As he typed the press release into his phone, he heard Alec’s adorable little snores and realized he might get to actually hear it every single day.

As he crossed the road to reach his apartment, he heard someone yell – asking him to watch out.

And suddenly, there was darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Byeeeeeee.
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr @khaleesioflalicante
> 
> Fun fact: In America, 93% of people in prison are men and 7 percent are women.


	5. Aura Rosser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No,” Alec shook his head. “Maybe he is angry with me and doesn’t want to text me back?”
> 
> “If he is then it’s totally valid,” Jace replied. “I mean, after what you told me, he should be throwing a pie at your face. I can’t believe you dragged Camille into it. You fucking idiot.”
> 
> “I was just…I don’t know. Fucking scared? I thought he was going to leave me!”
> 
> “Magnus would never move to LA,” Jace rolled his eyes. “He is way too obsessed with winter fashion.”
> 
> “I know,” Alec bit his lip. “But nothing made sense in that moment. All I could think about was how I don’t deserve him and maybe he had finally realized that and decided to move on.”
> 
> Jace stared at him with the most incredulous look on his face. “That is the stupidest fucking thing I have ever heard. And I have listened to Trump’s speech on Syrian refugees.”
> 
> Team Tensions, Hospital Visits, Necessary Demands and Other Things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy reading, fam :)

“Morning, detective!”

His usual response to that usual greeting would have been “Hey, Stan! Morning!”. On some days, he would even have a little chat about Stan’s daughter, who was hoping to join the force one day. But today was not a day for small talk and chatting. 

Alec just nodded at the man and kept walking briskly. He dropped his bag on his desk with a thud just because he could. Underhill, who had presumably fallen asleep on his laptop, woke up startled and looked around worriedly.

“Hey,” he said, yawning. “You okay?”

Alec turned around.

“What would you do if your boyfriend is applying for a new job in an entirely different state without telling you?”

“Yikes,” Aline muttered into her coffee.

“Magnus is leaving New York?” Underhill looked devastated. “You know I will be doomed without him, right? Professionally and emotionally!!”

Alec couldn’t even begin to talk about how doomed _he_ would be if Magnus left him. He really didn’t want to get into it. The adrenaline was still spiking through his system ever since his argument with Magnus. The fact that he had walked all the way to the precinct had only made it worse.

He didn’t want to talk about Magnus right now. He didn’t even want to think about him. Although the latter was easier said than done.

He saw Helen walking in from the break room. She was peering thoughtfully into her coffee mug. "I know the governor hates our guts. But any chance we can sweet talk him into buying us a new coffee maker? Better yet, an espresso machine?"

“Any update on the social media analytics?” Alec demanded. 

Helen looked up and blinked. “Um, I thought you were off today."

“Change of plans,” he shrugged and took off his coat. “Update?”

“Nothing,” she sighed. “I was-”

“Helen, it’s been four days since Underhill suggested we try tracking Lilith through social media,” Alec sat down in front of her. “Since you are the tech expert, I thought maybe you would have an answer by now.”

“I thought so too,” Helen bit her lip. “I just…There isn’t much to go on here anyway and maybe we if-”

“Ifs and maybes aren’t going to cut it right now, Helen,” he pointed out. “You need to do a better job. In case you forgot, we are on a deadline here.”

“I know. I am sorry, Alec. I-”

“I don’t want an apology,” Alec said. “I want an update.”

“Yo, Lightwood!”

Alec swiveled in his chair to notice his distant cousin walking towards him furiously.

“Helen is doing the best she can,” Aline crossed her arms. “She can’t find something that isn’t there.”

“Well, there must be something on the internet,” Alec argued.

“I am sure there is something,” Aline rolled her eyes. “But obviously we can’t find anything if we don’t know what we are looking for. We literally just have the woman’s name. I don’t know what you expect from us!”

“I expect you to give a shit,” Alec snapped. “Why does it feel like I am the only one who is taking this deadline seriously?”

“Alec, that isn’t fair,” Underhill said quietly.

“I am not saying you aren’t working hard,” Alec amended quickly. “But you can work harder. We are on a deadli-”

“That dumb deadline is not our fault,” Aline protested. “I don’t know we are supposed to close a case in a couple of months when we have been trying to solve it for years.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Alec asked exasperatedly. “But it doesn’t matter what we think, Aline. Our bureaucracy has zero fucks to give. You should know that.”

Alec and Jace were not the only cops in the precinct who were from well-known law enforcement backgrounds. Aline’s mother had not only been a popular human rights lawyer but had even served as the governor of Boston before retiring a few years ago.

His cousin stepped forward. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you insinuating that my mom doesn’t give a shit about other people?”

“That isn’t what I meant,” Alec rolled his eyes. “I just meant that bureaucrats in general are-”

“Listen, buddy,” Aline interrupted. “Just because our governor is a self-centered piece of shit, it doesn’t mean all of them are, okay?”

“I know that,” Alec said tensely. “But it isn’t like your mom has offered to help us either. I wonder why.”

“Actually, she has been helping us more than necessary,” Aline sounded angry now. “She has been liaising with Luke and Magnus since February. But it isn’t like Magnus tells you everything. I wonder why.”

That struck a chord. Alec took a step forward. “What did you just say?”

Before Aline could reply, an unmistakably exasperated voice called him out.

“I need you in my office, detective Lightwood,” Lydia said. “Now.”

She only ever called him detective Lightwood when she was beyond pissed at him. This day continued to bear gifts. 

He followed her into her office without another word.

Lydia closed the door behind and stared at him.

“What kind of fucked up display of testosterone was that?”

Lydia never swore. Never.

Not even when Trump had won presidency. They had been in the academy together at the time. She had just said ‘fudge nuggets’ and had screamed into her pillow.

“Alec, listen. As your friend, I know things are tense right now,” Lydia said sternly. “But as your captain, I need you to find a better way to deal with your personal feelings. You can’t take it out on your squad-”

“The squad isn’t-”

“This isn’t about the squad and you know it,” Lydia didn’t let him finish. “You know for a fact that every single person here has given up something for this case. They are just as committed as you are!”

She wasn’t wrong.

Aline had given up a promotion in Boston and decided to work with Alec, just because he had asked for her help.

Helen had left her entire family back in LA and had moved to New York so she could support her girlfriend and work on the case.

Underhill had never applied for the sergeant position even though he was beyond qualified since he had decided that it wouldn’t be fair to focus on his career when everyone else was working hard on the case.

Alec had arrested his own family and Jace had-

“I am sorry,” Alec said. He hoped he looked as horrible as he felt. He was beyond ashamed of his behavior – not just of how he had behaved in front of his colleagues but in front of Jace and Magnus too.

“I don’t want you to apologize,” Lydia said. “At least not to me.”

“I am sorry,” he said again. “Things are…Things are a little complicated right now.”

“I understand,” Lydia’s voice softened. “I know you are scared because of what might happen to you and Jace. I know you are angry about the governor and the deadline. And I know something is wrong with you and Magnus.”

When he heard Lydia list out his current grievances, Alec couldn’t believe that he was standing here, with his sanity still intact.

Well, maybe he wasn’t the sanest person in the room right now. But still. It was a lot put together and Alec worried that all of it might get to him one way or another. Maybe it already has.

“I know it’s a lot, Alec,” she said now. “But we shouldn’t take it out on people around us. Especially not on those who are trying to help.”

Alec looked at the woman before him and realized she knew what she was talking about. He remembered what she said before – that every single person here has given up something for the case.

Lydia had not really given up anything for the case. But that didn’t mean nothing was taken from her.

He remembered how happy she had been the day John had proposed. She had of course figured it out earlier since she was an excellent detective - and an expert stalker too. The moment she had found out, she had literally run into the grounds.

“Why are we running? Should I be concerned?” Alec had shouted at her from behind.

“Alec, John is my boyfriend,” she had said, running even faster. “And tomorrow he will be my fiancé.”

“Yes, Lyds. I am aware of how proposals work,” Alec had rolled his eyes.

“No, you are not,” Lydia has shouted over her shoulder. “I am going to get married to John, Alec.”

“That’s what happens when you get engaged, you doofus!” Alec had tried his best to catch up her. “Do you not want to get engaged? Are you nervous?”

Lydia had abruptly stopped running and Alec had almost crashed into her.

“I love John more than anyone in my life,” Lydia had said in that soft serious voice of hers, one Alec no longer heard her use. “I am not nervous. I am just happy. I am really freaking happy.”

“So, these nervous laps are actually happy laps?” Alec had raised a brow.

“Yes. Because we are getting married and I just can’t stand still and wait for him to propose. I am literally running around because I don’t want to march over there and propose myself.”

It had taken her another 20 minutes before she had abandoned all self-control and had gone over to John’s hostel room and had proposed to him. John had said yes of course.

“You are insane,” Alec had told her as he pulled her into a hug.

“Something tells me you are going to be worse,” she had winked at him.

“Sure,” Alec had rolled his eyes at the time since he couldn’t even bring himself to talk about his sexuality let alone consider proposing to another man. “You look happy.”

“I’ve never been happier,” she had smiled brilliantly at him. “I am getting married!!!”

But of course, Lydia never really got married since the wedding kept getting postponed since they were all knee deep in catching Valentine a couple of years ago. But after Jocelyn’s testimony when it seemed like everything was going to be fine and go back to normal, everything had actually gone to hell.

John was killed during the mission, just an hour before Valentine had been apprehended.

“I am going to apologize to them,” Alec said now. “I am sorry. I promise I will do better. I am not going to let my personal life affect my work.”

“If something is wrong, you can always talk to me. You know that.”

She was his captain. His leader. His superior. But despite all the respect he had for her, it had always been hard for him to see her as anything beyond Lyds, his closest friend in the academy.

She had been older than him at the time. She had always been his superior in every way. But she had never let that affect their friendship. She had never treated him as less than an equal. She had been there for him when Valentine spent hours with Jace, trying to make the other boy the best ‘product’ of the academy. She had been one of the first few people he had come out to a few years ago. 

“It know, Lyds,” he said. “It won’t happen again. I promise. I am going to fix it.”

“Thank you,” she smiled back.

He walked straight back to Aline’s desk, where his cousin was deeply sulking.

“I am sorry,” he said before she could speak. “I am really sorry. It was no way to treat family or a friend or a colleague. And it definitely no way to treat someone I deeply respect and admire.”

Aline only raised an eyebrow.

“I just had to deal with some shit at home and I-” Alec bit his lip. “I’ve been taking out my anger on all the wrong people today.”

“What happened?” Helen walked over to them and sat on Aline’s desk.

“I shouted at Jace,” Alec said. “Then at Magnus. And now at Aline.”

“Good to know you’ve been a dick to literally everyone you’ve met today,” Aline muttered.

“I must apologize to you too, Helen,” Alec addressed the blonde woman now. “I know how hard you have been working. Trust me, I know. So, please know that I am beyond ashamed of how I acted today. I appreciate everything you are doing for this case. Not just as your team leader, but as your friend too.”

“Thank you,” Helen smiled at him. She had always been the one with the kindest heart. “Are you feeling better now?”

“I don’t know…It’s just…”

He thought of Jace getting separated from him. He thought of Magnus leaving him. He thought of being all alone.

“There is a lot going on – at home and with the case. Things I can’t really get into right now. But this is neither an explanation nor an excuse.”

Helen gave him a sympathetic smile, but Aline ignored him.

“Aline…I just want you to know that I am really proud to have you in my team. And your mother is literally one of the very few politicians I actually fucking respect. And you are one of the very few cops I trust implicitly. You are an incredible detective and even a better friend. I respect you and value you so much. I know I didn’t act like it a few minutes ago, but I do. I hope you know that. And if you don’t, then I will do my best from today to prove it to you.”

Aline was still quiet – she was one of the stubborn ones.

“That was beautiful,” Helen gave him a quick side hug. 

“It truly was,” Underhill picked up a tissue and sniffled loudly.

“For god’s sake,” Aline threw her hands up and pulled him into a hug. “You are lucky you are good at apologies.”

“Are we good?” he asked over her shoulder. “And don’t lie to me. I want you to be honest.”

“We are good,” Aline patted him on the back. “Just don’t keep everything to yourself, okay? If something is wrong, talk to us. About the case…or anything else.”

“Okay,” Alec whispered, even though he knew he would never do that. “But for now, I am really sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Aline smiled. “Now let me go so I can go back to my desk, drink that poison we call coffee and get you an update.”

“Thank you,” Alec smiled at her gratefully and took out the Starbucks coupon from his wallet. “And you know what? Coffee is on me for the rest of the week. Go nuts!”

“Damn, Alec!” Underhill whistled. “Maybe you should shout at me next week?”

They all laughed at that – even Lydia, who had been observing them from afar and went back into her office with a satisfied smile.

Suddenly everything felt better – just the tiniest bit.

“I know I said it before. But I’ve been acting like an asshole the whole day,” Alec said again. “So, I am really, really sorry.”

“Apology accepted,” the voice said.

Alec turned around and a tiny gasp left his mouth. He didn’t say another word but just ran and enveloped the other man into a hug.

“I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry,” he kept mumbling.

Jace pulled back and smiled at him. “It’s okay. Magnus said it’s just your way of showing of you care about me.”

“There are other ways to show that I care about you,” Alec frowned. “Ways that are less hurtful.”

“We can discuss these less hurtful ways over breakfast tomorrow,” Jace smiled at him. “Maybe we can start with you making me pancakes?”

“Yes,” Alec smiled back. “I know I made zero effort to convey it properly back home - but I am not angry with you. I am just afraid. I don’t want you going there, Jace. I just want you to be safe. If anything happens to you…”

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” Jace reassured him. “I know you are worried, Alec. God knows I worry about you too. But you also have to let me do my job, okay? You need to trust me.”

“I do trust you,” Alec said without missing a beat. “I trust you so damn much. I just…I am just scared.”

“I am going to be fine,” Jace pulled him back into a hug. “I have you as my partner. What else can I ask for?”

Alec closed his tightly and tried not to cry.

“I got you,” Alec whispered. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Not again.”

“I know, brother,” Jace said quietly.

“If I made you feel worthless today or on any day, I want you to know that it was never my intention. I am sorry if I ever made you feel like you aren’t doing your best or taking this seriously. I know what you are capable of. I know how strong you are. I know everything you are, and I am proud of every single bit of it.”

Jace didn’t say anything back, but just held on to him even tighter. 

“I hope you are done with all the apologizing, Alec!” Underhill was sniffling again from his desk. “Because I’m gonna need more tissues!”

Jace pulled back at that. “Actually, there is one more apology in order.”

“Magnus,” Alec whispered in realization.

“Oh god,” Underhill gasped. “Please do it somewhere else since I seriously don’t have enough tissues for a malec reunion scene.”

“I am going to go back home,” Alec said as he picked up his coat again. “I need to talk to him.”

“He went to his apartment,” Jace said. “He said he had to prepare for her tomorrow – to visit Seelie Queen.”

“Is that safe?” Helen asked. “I mean, he is the one who prosecuted her. Maybe he shouldn’t go there on his own.”

“No, he shouldn’t,” Alec couldn’t agree more. “I’ll talk to him about it. But first, I need to apologize for being a shitty boyfriend.”

“I wish I can give back the coupon,” Aline grinned. “But it feels so warm inside my pocket.”

Helen giggled at that and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek.

“You got this, Alec,” Jace patted him on the shoulder. “Just…Just remember to breathe and be honest about how you feel.”

“I am taking relationship advice from you,” Alec shuddered. “These really are dark times.”

"The power of therapy," Jace stuck out his tongue and tried to punch him but was abruptly interrupted by Lydia barging into the bullpen.

“OKAY I HAVE GOT AMAZING NEWS!”

Everyone stared at her and then at each other.

“If you tell me we found Lilith, I will spontaneously burst into tears,” Underhill warned them.

“Okay no,” Lydia said a little awkwardly. “Not that amazing news then.”

“I am feeling mixed emotions right now,” Underhill chuckled nervously. “What’s the news then, Captain?”

“We haven’t found her yet,” Lydia said carefully. “But we got a strategy. Something I think actually might work.”

The anticipation in the room was almost palpable.

“What is it?” Helen whispered.

“Luke just called,” Lydia explained. “We are going to do a briefing conference tomorrow about the case. But instead of telling the current status, we are actually going to break the news about Lilith. We will say that we have a lead on Lilith – that an anonymous source snitched her out and this person is currently under the protection of the force.”

“Isn’t that…lying?” Underhill asked. "And a little risky to expose her to the media right now?"

“It is. But we really don’t have another option. Not with the deadline hanging above our heads. Besides, it is not causing anyone any harm,” Lydia pointed out. “Think about it. We’ve caught all the sharks now. We just need to catch this whale. This woman who has mostly probably been funding Valentine’s operation. The reason why we couldn’t find anything on social media isn’t because no one wants to talk about her, but because they are scared to talk about her. Even Seelie Queen shared the name privately.”

“But if word gets out that someone snitched her out but is actually safe…,” Jace said slowly. “Maybe others might come forward too.”

“Oh,” Aline said. “Oh, that might actually work.”

“We should closely monitor all the crooks who were even distantly involved with the circle,” Lydia said. “If someone wants to come forward, we should be the first to know. I have no doubt that Lilith would try to silence them immediately. But we need to get to them first.”

“Yes, Captain!” Jace nodded and Alec could feel the excitement in every single one of them.

“Oh god,” Aline said. “What if someone does come forward? We might actually close this damn thing. You guys, we might actually get this shit done before the deadline!”

There was a lot of noise then. Excited exclamations, prayers of relief and even possible strategies.

“Man, I can’t wait to shove this victory in the governor’s face,” Jace high fived Underhill. “That’s going to be so satisfying.”

“God, I hate that guy,” Aline rolled her eyes.

“You don’t even know that guy,” Helen chuckled.

“Lucky me,” Aline grinned.

“Listen, it is no news that the governor is a corrupt piece of shit,” Jace interrupted. “But if this works out, we might be able to gain back some control over the case. Maybe even extend his stupid fucking deadline.” 

Jace was right. If this worked out, they might get some leeway with the governor. He might actually listen to them for once. He might prioritize the case over his own career.

It all depended on how this plan went. And Alec had to admit, it wasn’t a bad one.

“Man, I am so pumped for this operation!” Underhill said excitedly. “It’s the perfect combination of Ravenclaw and Slytherin!” 

It was. It was smart enough to achieve their goal and just cunning enough to stay within the ethical boundaries.

“Whose idea was it?” Alec asked. “Who came up with this with plan?”

He didn’t have to ask. He knew. He knew only one person could come up with something like this - someone he wanted to meet and hug so tightly that he worried he might break.

“Magnus,” Lydia grinned. “Actually, they are hoping that the press release might even make a shift in Lilith’s confidence and lead to a slip up.”

“You mean, they think she might…” Helen looked amazed.

“We don’t know what she might or might not do,” Lydia said. “But if she makes a move, it will be easier to catch her. But let the District Attorney’s office handle that. We need to focus on the crooks and CIs on our end. We need to divide and conquer.”

“Okay, y’all. Let’s do this!” Jace clapped his hands. “Underhill, I need you to arrange the press conference for tomorrow. Make sure that all the big shots are there. Especially DCS. This needs to be on every goddamn news channel. Helen, Aline, I need you to make a list of possible suspects we need to monitor after the press release. Write down anyone who might be rattled by this very real press release that is certainly not a lie.”

Lydia shook her head fondly, seemingly as excited as Alec to see the squad back in action. “Magnus will prepare the press release and send it to us in a couple of hours. He will be making the announcement. Alec, can you work him on that or…do you want me to assign someone else?”

“I can work with him,” Alec nodded. “I’ll call him right now.”

He didn’t want to let their fight affect what seemed to be a turning point in the case. And most importantly, he needed an excuse to talk to Magnus. He needed to apologize.

He called his boyfriend but there was no answer. Alec left a quick message and decided not to think too much of it.

For the next hour, he sat with Jace and went through the list Helen and Aline had put together. It was a good list. It had potential snitches who definitely might give them something concrete – especially if they believe they weren’t the one to break their loyalty to Lilith.

Alec knew she should be excited right now, just like everyone else in the squad. But he wasn’t. Something didn’t feel right. No. Actually, it was more than that. Something felt really, really wrong.

He kept sneaking glances at his phone waiting for a reply every now and then.

“Still nothing?” Jace asked, looking at him worriedly.

“No,” Alec shook his head. “Maybe he is angry with me and doesn’t want to text me back?”

“If he is then it’s totally valid,” Jace replied. “I mean, after what you told me, he should be throwing a pie at your face. I can’t believe you dragged Camille into it. You fucking idiot.”

“I was just…I don’t know. Fucking scared? I thought he was going to leave me!”

“Magnus would never move to LA,” Jace rolled his eyes. “He is way too obsessed with winter fashion.”

“I know,” Alec bit his lip. “But nothing made sense in that moment. All I could think about was how I don’t deserve him and maybe he had finally realized that and decided to move on.”

Jace stared at him with the most incredulous look on his face. “That is the stupidest fucking thing I have ever heard. And I have listened to Trump’s speech on Syrian refugees.”

“Then why isn’t Magnus replying?” Alec frowned.

“Maybe he is just busy with the press release,” Jace shrugged. “You know Magnus takes his job seriously. He is not going to jeopardize the case just because you two had an argument.”

“I don’t know,” Alec said because his anxiety was getting out of hand. “Maybe he finally snapped. God knows he was been putting with so much shit since he met me.”

“He chose to put up with this shit, Alec,” Jace pointed out. “Besides, Magnus didn’t look angry when he left home. He just looked sad.”

The thought that he had made Magnus angry had bothered him all day. Magnus was one of the most patient people he knew. So, anyone who made him angry must have crossed a line. And Alec knew he had crossed more than one today.

But the thought that he had made Magnus sad almost ripped Alec’s heart into two. Magnus was always radiant and so full of light.

“You are like Christmas lights,” Alec had one whispered to him on bed during their first Christmas together.

They had been sitting on the bed, sipping hot cocoa and staring at all the colorful lights out of Alec’s window.

“I am like what now?” Magnus had giggled.

“Christmas lights,” Alec had repeated. “But available throughout all seasons!”

“Are you making fun of my clothes?” Magnus had pouted, staring down at his colorful sweater, which had more colours than Alec’s entire wardrobe. 

“I am saying you are beautiful and bright,” Alec had corrected him with a kiss. "You bring light and joy wherever you go – and yes you are very colorful too.”

“Well, if there is too much color, I can always adjust the settings,” Magnus had teased him and taken off his sweater immediately.

It hurt him so much to think that he had caused Magnus pain – that he had dimmed the light inside of Magnus and had made him sad.

“I am going to talk to him in person,” Alec got up abruptly.

“YAS!” Jace punched the air with his fist. “Buy some flowers!”

“Do you know anything about apology flowers?” Alec asked. “I know you are into the whole flower symb-”

His phone rang in his pocket and Alec frowned at the name on the screen.

“Please don’t yell at me,” Alec said as soon as he answered the phone. “I know I acted like a dick. But I am on my way to apologize. I just fucked up. My braincells didn’t corpor-”

“Alec,” Catarina cut him off. “I need you to come to Bethesda immediately. Magnus got into an accident.”

Everything that happened next felt almost like a movie. Everything around him slowed down and went out of focus. He felt his senses slowly trying to regain control. He felt his phone slip away from his hand. He heard Jace calling out to him. He smelled Aline’s spilt coffee on the floor. He heard Lydia talking to someone – on his phone.

Catarina.

Magnus!!!

Alec snapped back into focus and grabbed the phone from her. “I am on my way.”

He was on autopilot. He picked up his badge and gun and left the bullpen without another word. There was no time to talk. Magnus needed him. He had to get to Magnus. There was nothing more important right now. Not Valentine. Not Lilith. Not his job. None of it mattered. Not right now.

As he opened the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll drive,” Jace said gently.

Alec wanted to protest. He wanted to scream. But he didn’t have any words. He let his feet take him to the passenger seat and sat down quietly. Jace hit the gas and pulled into the road without another word.

Usually during a situation like this, Alec’s mind would be screaming. It would be screaming a thousand different things at him. But right now, there was only one thing in his mind. Just one single thought.

_Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay._

Alec held on to it like a lifeline.

“He is going to be okay,” Jace said, his eyes taking a quick look at Alec. “Magnus is strong. He is going to be just fine.”

“How?” Alec’s voice croaked. “How did it happen?”

“In front of his apartment,” Jace said in a careful tone. “He was about to get back home.”

Magnus wasn’t supposed to be home this early. It was Saturday – which usually meant that the two of them spent the day binging Law and Order while Alec pointed out all the plot holes.

“I don’t get it,” Alec had said, the first time they had started the tradition. “So, we are watching the show just to criticise it?”

“Precisely! It's called hate-watching!” Magnus had explained excitedly. “I have a feeling you would be unfairly hot when you get all bothered about the factual inaccuracies in crime shows.”

“That sounds like a waste of time, Magnus. And besides, I don’t care about this sh -What the hell is that guy doing? You can’t walk into a crime scene without gloves! He is contaminating the whole place!”

“I know right?” Magnus had said, his grin getting even wider.

Alec would pay a million dollars and more to see that grin right now.

They were supposed to be watching Law and Order back home. But instead, Magnus was in a hospital bed, all on his own. Looking back, it was rather obvious that Magnus wouldn’t be there if-

“Don’t.”

Alec blinked.

“Don’t do it,” Jace said quietly. “Don’t blame yourself.”

“How do I not?” Alec asked. “I chased him away.”

“He left because he wanted to work on his own,” Jace replied. “It’s not the same thing. This is not your fault or Magnus’. It’s on whoever hit him.”

“I…” Alec held back a sob. “I want to see him.”

Jace looked at him, without slowing down.

“Jace, I want to see him,” Alec said more loudly. “I want to see Magnus.”

Jace looked worried. Alec didn’t understand why. He was being perfectly clear.

“We are on our way to see him,” Jace replied. “We are almost there, okay? You are going to see him soon.”

“Okay,” Alec breathed and Jace punched the gas even harder.

“If something happe-”

“No,” Jace cut him off sharply. “Nothing is going to happen. Don’t overthink right now, Alec. I need you to focus on the present. Think about something else.”

“Like what?” Alec asked.

“I don’t know,” Jace sounded really worried now. “Think about what you are going to say when he wakes up.”

Jace sounded so sure. Alec trusted his partner. So, he decided to think about that instead.

“I am going to tell him I am sorry,” Alec said. “I will tell him he can move to LA if he wants to.”

“Okay, maybe let’s not think about that,” Jace muttered.

“No, Jace,” Alec shook his head. “He should move if he wants to.”

“Do you want that?” Jace asked.

Alec looked out of the window. He remembered the way Magnus grinned every time Alec would point out a mistake in Law and Order.

“I want him to be happy,” Alec said. “That’s all I want – for Magnus to be happy and safe.”

“He is going to be just that,” Jace said as he pulled into Bethesda. “You’ll see.”

Alec got out of the car before Jace even parked. He ran towards the lobby but turned back all of a sudden when he remembered.

“Jace,” he whispered.

“I’ll be okay,” Jace smiled back. “I just need a minute.”

“Jace, I-”

“Go!” Jace yelled and Alec bolted.

After scaring the poor receptionist, Alec ran up the stairs to the fourth floor since he didn’t have the patience to wait for the elevator. He took three steps at a time, his heart hammering inside his chest.

He slammed through the door to find Magnus, sitting up on his bed, talking to Catarina and Raphael.

“Alexander,” Magnus smiled.

Alec threw himself at Magnus and buried his face in his neck.

He was okay. Magnus was okay.

He pulled back and scanned his face. “Are you okay? Catarina, is he okay?”

“He has a concussion,” Catarina pointed at the band aid on Magnus’ forehead. “He hit his head pretty hard.”

“I am totally fine,” Magnus waved her off.

“Only you would say that after getting hit by a car,” Raphael rolled his eyes.

“But it didn’t hit me hard though,” Magnus protested. “She stopped. I think she got scared.”

“Wait a minute,” Alec’s head was swimming. “She? What happened? Who hit him?”

“Kylie Queen,” Raphael answered. “Seelie Queen’s sister.”

“Rhyming sibling names are so tacky,” Magnus winced.

“But, she-” Alec stammered. “Why would she do that?”

“I am assuming it has something to do with the fact that Magnus got her sister in prison for life,” Raphael said dryly. “You do watch the news, don’t you detective?”

“Raphael,” Magnus scolded his friend. “Alexander, I am fine. I think she got scared. She pumped the brakes but not it wasn't quick enough. It hit me just hard enough to throw me off the road. I hit my head and apparently passed out. My head hurts like shit and I have a couple of bruises. But I am okay. I promise.”

Alec didn’t believe him. He looked at Catarina.

“He is okay. I promise,” she smiled at him. “But he needs to rest. He needs to recover.”

Alec nodded at her gratefully.

“See? I told you,” Magnus winked. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“Magnus,” Alec whispered. “Magnus, I am sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” Raphael raised an eyebrow dangerously.

“Raphael, can you get me something to eat please?” Magnus batted his eyelashes at him. “I am famished after almost dying.”

Raphael rolled his eyes.

“How did Raphael get here before I did?” Alec accidentally wondered out loud.

“He is my emergency contact,” Magnus pointed out.

“Oh,” Alec said, but held his tongue.

“Trust me, I am as surprised by that information as you are,” Raphael rolled his eyes and left the room.

Catarina, who got the hint, moved closer to Magnus. “No more scares. I don’t want premature greys.”

“But you could totally pull off the silver fox look though,” Magnus protested. 

Catarina only kissed Magnus on the head and left the room quietly. Now it was just the two of them.

“Magnus-”

Magnus pulled him in by his jacket and crashed their lips together. His fingers dug deep into his neck, making Alec hiss in pain. Alec didn’t let go though. Neither did Magnus.

“I love you,” Magnus whispered.

“Magnus, I love you too, but-”

“I love you,” Magnus whispered again. “That’s the last thing I thought of before I lost consciousness. It’s the first thing I thought of when I woke up here.”

Alec smiled and pushed Magnus’ hair, which was flopping over his forehead now. “I love you.”

Magnus smiled and kissed the inside of his palm. “I know, my love.”

“I love you,” Alec repeated. “And I am so sorry. I am so sorry for everything I said. I know you know I didn’t mean it. But I shouldn’t have said it anyway.”

“Alec-”

“I want you to know that you can move to LA if you want to,” Alec swallowed, looking away. “You can fin-”

“Alec,” Magnus said and Alec avoided his gaze. “I don’t want to move. I want to stay here with you.”

“You do?” Alec blinked.

“Yes, you beautiful idiot,” Magnus laughed. “That’s what I was saying the whole time.”

“I am sorry I didn’t listen,” Alec looked down again. “I am sorry I hurt your feelings.”

“Alexander,” Magnus called him, and he couldn’t look away any longer. “It’s water under the bridge.”

Water under the bridge.

Magnus always said that when he wanted to move on. Magnus was someone who didn’t enjoy dwelling on the past. Unlike Alec, Magnus only focused on the future. Most importantly, Magnus always chose hope over despair. He seeked happiness over doom.

“Are you sure?” Alec asked. “We can talk about it if you want.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Magnus said. “I know you were angry. I know you were upset – with Jace and everything that is going on. I know you didn’t mean what you said and that you were only reacting poorly. So, it’s fine. I just want to move on.”

“But, I hurt your feelings-”

“I am not denying that” Magnus said, sitting up properly now. “But I also don’t want to dwell on what happened. I don’t want to waste time, Alexander. Not when anything could happen.”

 _Nothing was going to happen,_ Alec promised himself. _I am not going to let anything happen to you._

“Just promise me you won’t do it again,” Magnus asked.

“I promise,” Alec promised Magnus. “I promise I will never do it again.”

“Good,” Magnus kissed his cheek.

“Are you sure you are okay?” Alec asked worriedly.

“Yes, my love,” Magnus rolled his eyes. “Although I am a little thirsty.”

“Eh, thirsty for like water or…” Alec asked awkwardly.

Magnus laughed then, the sounding restoring Alec’s broken heartbeat.

“I am always thirsty for you, Alexander,” Magnus winked. “But right now, I could do with some water. Or some coffee.”

“No coffee,” Alec shook his head and kissed Magnus’ head. “I’ll get you some water.”

He heard Magnus protesting but found his way to a nearby water filter, where Jace was on the phone.

“Yeah, he is here,” Jace said as Alec walked towards him. “He is fine, baby. I am going to ask him to call you back as soon as he can, okay. Just try not to worry. He is okay. Alright. I love you too.”

“Clary?”

“She is horrified,” Jace looked worse. “Did you know about Kylie? Catarina told me.”

“I just heard,” Alec nodded. “Jace, we need to do something about this.”

“Helen and Aline are booking Kylie right now,” Jace informed him. “We can talk to the judg-”

“No,” Alec said. “I meant Magnus. We need to do something about him. What if someone tries again? We need to protect him.”

“Oh,” Jace said. “You mean we should get him security?”

“Probably,” Alec shrugged. “I don’t think he will take that well. I was thinking maybe he should take a break.”

“He most definitely should,” Jace agreed. “Catarina said he has a concussion and it’s-”

“No, Jace,” Alec said in frustration. “I mean he should take a break from the case.”

Jace blinked. “Alec, isn’t that a little…excessive?”

“How would you feel?” Alec asked. “If it was Clary who had almost died? Would you be willing to gamble with her life?”

Jace sighed heavily and Alec knew he understood.

“Fine,” Jace said. “But he is not going to be keen about that either.”

“I know,” Alec winced. “But I’ll talk to him. I can’t lose him, Jace.”

Jace put a hand on his shoulder and told him not to worry. The words didn’t make Ale feel any better. The fact that Magnus had got into an accident had worried him deeply. But the fact that someone tried to hurt him on purpose…It made Alec feel terrified. It absolutely terrified him to know that there were people out there who wanted to hurt Magnus.

It didn’t make sense to him at all. Magnus deserved to be protected at all costs. How could someone not get that?

When he walked back into the room with a cup of water, Magnus was typing furiously into an iPad.

“My phone broke,” Magnus lamented. “Luckily I back up all my notes on the cloud. And my memes!”

“Whose iPad is that?” Alec asked.

“Raphael’s,” Magnus replied without looking up. “I bullied him to give it to me. This whole ‘I almost died’ card is actually not bad. I think I am going to hold onto it for a while.”

“I hope you are not tweeting about this,” Alec laughed nervously as he sat down next to Magnus.

“Nope,” Magnus poked out his tongue. “I am just working on the press release.”

"The what?” Alec blinked.

“The press release,” Magnus looked at him now. “Oh. I thought maybe Luke would have told Lydia by now and-”

“No, no. He did,” Alec clarified. “But why are you working on it now? Magnus, you are in a fucking hospital.”

“Well, it’s not like I can stream something on Netflix,” Magnus frowned. “The bandwidth at Bethesda is quite horrible.”

Alec plucked the iPad from his boyfriend and put it away.

“Hey!” Magnus protested. “I was almost done!”

Alec took a deep breath in. “We need to talk.”

Magnus frowned.

“I think you should take a break,” Alec let it out.

“Did Catarina put you up to this?” Magnus rolled his eyes. “Fine. I will take Monday off. But I need to be there for the press release tomorro-”

“Magnus, I think you need to take a break from the case,” Alec corrected him.

Magnus looked lost. “Are you asking me not to come for the press release?”

“Yes,” Alec said. “I mean no.”

“Alexander, what are you saying?” Magnus sat up. “Is everything okay?”

“You are in a hospital, Magnus. You got hit by a car. You could have died,” Alec pointed out. “Everything is most certainly not okay.”

“But none of this is my fault,” Magnus argued. “I was just doing my job.”

“Exactly,” Alec said in frustration. “Your job is making you a target. It’s not safe for you to be involved in the case anymore. You should lay low. Maybe for a few months.”

“A few months?” Magnus laughed. “Are you insane? We are so close to finding Lilith. We are so close to putting an end to all of this. And you want to me to quit now?”

“I am not asking you to quit,” Alec corrected him. “I am just saying you should take a break.”

“I know what you are saying,” Magnus snapped. “And I am sorry. I do not agree. Can I have the iPad back please?”

“Magnus,” Alec begged. “Please. For me.”

His boyfriend looked completely and utterly lost.

“Alec. Alexander,” Magnus said softly now. “I know you are worried. But I can’t give up on the case. I’ve fought too hard to get here. I can’t lose this case. I just can’t.”

“I can’t lose you either,” Alec pointed out. “Magnus, just think about it. Please.”

“No,” Magnus said in a voice that was not to be argued with. But Alec wasn’t going to give up.

“What would you do if it were me?” Alec asked.

“I’d accept that you are an adult capable of making your own decisions,” Magnus replied seriously.

“Magnus-”

“Do you have any idea how hypocritical you sound right now?” Magnus asked. “You throw yourself into danger every single day. And yet, I can’t do the same. I love my job as much as you do, Alec. I am not going to give it up just because some assholes decided to take the law into their own hands.”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” Alec tried to explain himself. “There are others who-”

“I SAID NO!” Magnus yelled. “I AM NOT QUITTING!”

There was a terrible silence then.

“I am just scared, Magnus,” Alec said quietly. “I guess I am just worried about you.”

“Then that’s your problem to deal with,” Magnus replied sternly. “It’s unfair of you to expect me to give up the case just so you can feel better.”

“Christ, I am not asking this for myself!” Alec snapped. “Can’t you see that I am trying to protect you?”

“By taking away the only thing that is giving me purpose?” Magnus asked incredulously. “No. I can’t see how that is going to protect me, Alec.”

“I need you to calm down,” Alec said, as he tried to do the same. “I need you to calm down and think about this rationally.”

“There is nothing here to think about,” Magnus said in a final tone. “This case means everything to me. It’s all I have thought about for the last five years. You have no idea how hard I have worked to get here.”

“God, I do know that Magnus!” Alec said in frustration. “That’s precisely why I am asking you to take a break. You can focus on other cases – ones that aren’t going to kill you!”

“I have worked on this case for every single minute of the last five years,” Magnus said slowly. “You want me to give all that up? Just like that?”

“Yes,” Alec breathed.

“You do realize losing this case would break me?” Magnus asked, his voice full of disbelief.

“I’d rather you be broken than dead,” Alec muttered.

Magnus just stared.

“I need you to leave,” Magnus looked horrified, as if he had got hit by a car all over again.

“Magnus,” Alec closed his eyes.

This was not how this was supposed to go. He was supposed to make Magnus feel better. He was supposed to take away the pain, not making it worse.

No. he wasn’t going to leave. Not until he fixed this. He needed to fix this. He needed to fix them.

“Magnus, I just want you to k-”

The door burst open and a man walked into the room with the force and speed of a hurricane. He walked directly to Magnus, completely ignoring Alec, and pulled Magnus into a fierce hug. He was rapidly muttering something underneath his breath, but Alec couldn’t make out the words. It didn’t sound familiar.

But the voice was. It was so intimately familiar to him, like something he heard every morning. Like the sound of his coffee maker or his alarm clock.

“How many times?” the man asked as he pulled back and held Magnus’ face close in his hands. “How many times have I asked you not to use that devil’s device on the road?”

Alec looked at his boyfriend and Magnus looked back at him. He had gone as pale as the sheet underneath him, the blood visibly draining from his face.

“How long have you been here?” the man demanded now. “And why didn’t you call me? My only son was hit by a car and I hear about it through office gossip!”

Magnus kept looking at Alec. His face getting paler by the minute. Alec wanted to call the nurse.

“Magnus, I am talking to you!” the older man said in frustration and followed Magnus’ gaze, only to find Alec staring at them both.

He might not have been able to place the voice, but he knew that face. Suddenly it made so much sense why he had found the voice to be so familiar.

It was the voice he listened to every morning on the news, droning about the same bureaucratic bullshit over and over again.

it was the voice of the man he wished he could grab in the air and punch until his fists felt sore.

It was the man the man who had fucked everything over for Alec and his squad in the last week.

It was the voice of the governor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEET. 
> 
> Come find me on tumblr @khaleesiofalicante. 
> 
> Fun fact: The creator of Peter Pan gave the rights to a children's hospital so they would always collect the royalties and fund the hospital.


	6. Botham Jean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Magnus, he is corrupt,” Alec argued as if Magnus didn’t know. “He is a monster. All he cares about his power. He doesn’t give a shit about the citizens o-”
> 
> “Alec, you don’t think I know that?” Magnus asked.
> 
> “Then why?” Alec asked, totally at a loss.
> 
> “Because if a politician is bad, you can get rid of them and elect a new one. I can’t do that with my father. If I don't like him, I can’t get rid of him and get myself another father. I don’t have that luxury.”
> 
> Confusing Fathers, Whiskey Bottles, Scary Interrogations and Other Things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter for some reason was SUPER hard to write. But I got through it and I came bearing one hefty 10k chapter. 
> 
> From now on, every chapter comes with a complementary song rec. 
> 
> The song for this chapter is Stand By Me by Florence + The Machine 
> 
> Happy reading, y'all :)

At some point, all sound ceased to exist. Magnus could only hear the sound of his own heart thudding inside his chest. It sounded like someone pounding on a door with bleeding fists. He tried to get control of his breathing. But control was the last thing in his reach right now.

His eyes moved from Alec to his father. The situation was so awkward, Magnus couldn’t help but hope that maybe the car should have hit him a little harder.

He did not wish that he had died. No. No. It wasn’t that. He had too much to live for.

But a temporary coma wouldn’t be so bad right now.

Someone cleared their throat – and they weren’t being subtle about it.

“I would like a moment with my son.”

Alec looked utterly offended at that. Magnus wasn’t sure if he was more offended about being lied to or being asked to leave.

Either way, it didn’t look like he was going to leave the room.

“That wasn’t a request, detective,” his father said in a chilling tone.

For fuck’s sake. Maybe being unnecessarily dramatic was a family trait.

Alec’s eyes, which had never left Magnus’ face, searched for his permission. Even in the middle of all of this, Alec wanted to know if Magnus was okay.

The pounding on the door got slightly lighter. His heart began to calm down, just a little. Magnus regained control over his environment.

He nodded at Alec, who threw one last menacing look at his father and left the room.

“Seriously,” his father pursued his lips. “Him?”

“He has a name,” Magnus pointed out calmly.

“Oh, yes. I know all about his name,” his father said. “He is a Lightwood, isn’t he?”

“And?” Magnus asked.

“Honestly, Magnus. All the judgment you throw in my face for my policies and strategies and yet here you are - dating a Lightwood.”

“I am dating the person, not his last name,” Magnus clarified. “Also, what policies and strategies? I think you mispronounced corruption and exploitation.”

His father rolled his eyes – eyes he used to look into and see his own. Eyes that had once made him felt warm.

“Now. Now. We mustn’t discuss work when you are unwell,” his father chastised as he sat down next to him.

“Actually, I am doing quite alright,” Magnus said quickly. “There is no need for you linger.”

“Magnus, I was told this was an attempt at murder! Again!"

Magnus shushed him. What if Alec was eavesdropping outside the door?

"I will be having words with Ms. Branwell! This case has only put people in more and more danger. And I still don’t see her precinct doing anything to solve it.”

“Lydia and her squad have done an incredible job – better than most people would have,” Magnus defended his friends. “They have come a long way since Valentine’s capture.”

“And who should we thank for that, hm?” his father smirked. 

Magnus closed his eyes. He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to think about the day he had walked to his father and asked for his help. He didn’t want to think about the day he had put his dignity and pride away and had decided to save Alec and his friends.

“I have thanked you more than enough,” Magnus defended himself now. “I don’t know what else you want me to do.”

“I want you to take better care of yourself,” his father pushed Magnus’ hair away from his face. “I want you to use your head, not just your heart.”

Magnus wanted to laugh.

The words were exactly the opposite of what his mother had taught him.

He remembered sitting next to her hospital bed, while she gave him one tip after another, to make sure he will be okay.

“Oh, I have one more!” his mother had exclaimed excitedly.

“If this is about coconut oil conditioning, then it can wait,” Magnus, who had been no older than nine had rolled his eyes. “You need to rest, mama.”

“It’s actually about that,” his mother had chuckled.

“Coconut oil?”

“No. About resting.”

Magnus had laughed. 

“The body…Magnus, the body needs rest. You need to take good care of it. But the heart…the heart needs to run free. Never tell your heart what to do. You must only listen. Just listen.”

Magnus remembered sitting there and just staring at her, wondering how the hell he would make it without her wisdom, her love and her heart.

“You are weird,” Magnus had giggled. “Go to sleep, mama.”

And she had…for the longest time.

“What do you want?” Magnus asked again.

Because there was no way that this man was here purely out of fatherly concern.

 _But he had always been there for you_ , the voice inside his head said. _He was there when no one else was, remember?_

Magnus shut it down.

“Magnus, I am just here for you-”

“What do you want, papa?” Magnus asked again.

“I just think we should do something about this,” his father said seriously. “The girl. Kylie.”

“The cops are taking care of it,” Magnus pointed out. “I don’t want to see her again.”

“That’s understandable. But you can’t let her get away with it. We must make sure she serves maximum sentence.”

“Maximum sentence?” Magnus echoed. “She is a teenager!”

"A teenager who tried to kill you," his father pointed out. "She must be held accountable for her actions."

What about you? Magnus wanted to ask. What about your actions?

“I think you should leave,” Magnus said instead. "I'm feeling a little tired."

“Will you think about what I said?” his father softly.

No, Magnus wanted to respond.

But he remembered everything his father had done for him…especially after the incident. He remembered standing in front of his father’s front door, drenched in rain, ready to do whatever necessary.

“Anything,” he had begged. “Save him and I will do anything you ask.”

But his father had asked for nothing. He could have and Magnus would have done it. But instead, his father had helped him with only one condition.

“I just want to see you more,” he had requested. “I want to know you more. I want to spend time with my son.”

Magnus had been surprised by that, not only because he had expected his father to exploit the situation to his advantage – but he was genuinely surprised that the other man was interested in spending time with him even after Magnus had abandoned him. 

So, ever since The Incident, Magnus had lunch with his father once a week.

Every Thursday Magnus would walk in to his father’s house, expecting that ‘haha’ moment where he would realize his father had bamboozled him. But that day had never come. 

Instead, they would talk.

They would talk about work. They would talk about his mother. They would talk about travelling.

Over the last couple of years, Magnus had started to look forward for his Thursday lunches with his father. They made him feel less…alone.

It was one of the main reasons he had been hesitant to talk to Alec about his father. Alec had cut out all communication with his family when he had found out about their involvement with Valentine.

Magnus’ father wasn’t involved with Valentine of course. But he had plenty vices of his own. Asmodeus Edom was corrupt to the core. He was a bad politician. But he was not a bad father.

But unlike Alec, he couldn’t cut ties with the man so easily. Not when he was all Magnus had. He didn’t think Alec would understand that.

“Fine, papa,” Magnus said now, lying down in the bed again. “I will think about her sentence."

“You need to focus on what’s good for you, Magnus,” his father said as he pulled up Magnus’ blanket higher, as he used to do all those years ago.

“Are you talking about Alec?” Magnus asked. “Because I’m not going to break u-”

“Not everything is about him,” his father sighed. “Which is something you need to realize sooner rather than later.”

Magnus stayed quiet again.

“Get some rest,” his father smiled and kissed the top of his head before he left.

There was a knock on the door as soon as his father departed and Magnus looked up.

“Alexander?” he called out hesitantly.

“Nope. Just me.”

“Oh,” Magnus said. “Where is he?”

“Uh, he went back to the precinct,” Jace said awkwardly from the door. “Do you need anything?”

“I’m fine,” Magnus said.

“How are you feeling?” Jace asked as he sat down next to him.

“I am fine,” Magnus said again.

They were both quiet then.

“I’ve never been hit by a car before,” Jace said after a while. It sounded almost like a complaint.

“Wouldn’t recommend,” Magnus replied.

“Hmm,” Jace nodded thoughtfully, looking rather disappointed.

“Is he angry with me?” Magnus asked.

“I don’t know,” the other man shrugged. “Should he be?”

“I don’t know,” Magnus shrugged back. “Shouldn't he be?”

“Because you forgot to mention that your dad is basically a Marvel villain?” Jace chuckled. “Yeah, probably.”

“He told you, huh?”

“Yes, but also the governor literally entered the ward screaming _‘where is my son?’_ so I figured it out using my amazing detective skills.”

“He left,” Magnus echoed weakly.

“Yes, but he did leave this,” Jace said as he put his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a familiar piece of yellow paper.

**“I prayed today. After a long, long time. I prayed you will come back to me. I prayed I will get to see you smile again. I prayed I will get to tell you how much I love you. I don’t know if god heard me. But I hope you did.”**

Magnus’ heart wept a little at that.

“He probably wrote that before he found out,” Magnus put it away carefully, just like the other ones.

“I don’t think it matters when he wrote it,” Jace said. “He always means what he says.”

Magnus stayed quiet. Jace did know Alec better than he did. But that didn’t mean, Jace knew everything about him. Maybe Alec didn’t mean what he wrote. Maybe Alec was angry – or worse…Maybe Alec was disgusted.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Jace asked.

“Because,” Magnus sighed. “I didn’t want people to look at me the way you are looking at me right now.”

Jace suddenly looked embarrassed.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Jace apologized. “I wasn’t judging you or anything.”

“I know,” Magnus said. “But you do have _‘oh you are his son?’_ written all over your face. It’s how most people look when they talk to Alec. I guess I just didn’t want that.”

“Alec’s parents are…different,” Jace said carefully. “The governor…”

“He is just as horrible,” Magnus finished. “He might not be involved with the Valentine. But he had done plenty of disappointing stuff. You know about his policies.”

Jace nodded gravely.

It wasn’t a secret that his father’s governance had an authoritarian style, as proven by his approach to dealing with Valentine’s case with an unrealistic deadline. He was ruthless when it came to politics, getting rid of his enemies one way or another. He supported the increasing militarization of his country and made friends with capitalist pigs who only cared about their net profit. He might not be Robert or Maryse Lightwood. But he was his own kind of sin.

But he had never been anything but kind to Magnus.

“You still talk to him, right?” Jace asked now. “Is that why you didn’t tell us?”

“I wasn’t ashamed,” Magnus said quickly. “I mean, I was a little bit. He is not the greatest dad. But I was mostly afraid…I was worried about how Alec would react.”

“I know Alec is not a fan of the governor’s politics but that doesn’t mean he is going to hold it against you. He knows you have your own morals, Magnus.”

"But this is about my morals, isn't it?” Magnus pointed out. “When Alec found out about his parents, he stopped talk to them. He doesn’t reach out to them…not even during the holidays. Knowing what we do about my father…Wouldn’t he expect them the same of me? Wouldn’t he expect me to stop talking to my father too?”

“Out of curiosity,” Jace inquired. “Why do you keep talking to him?”

Why indeed. Magnus wanted to say 'For you. For Alec.' But he didn't. 

When Magnus had been old enough to understand that Asmodeus - The Father and Asmodeus - The Politician were two very different people, he had moved out of his home immediately. His father had tried to get in touch with him repeatedly. Magnus had kept dodging him every turn. He had focused on his career and doing a better job than his father - not that it was hard with the standards his father had set for him. 

He had been determined never to cross roads with the other man again...until The Incident had happened.

Magnus had swallowed all shame and gone to his father for the first time in years asking for his help. His father had helped him of course. In return for Magnus' time. 

But to be entirely honest, the weekly meet ups...It wasn't solely because of the promise Magnus had made. It wasn't just pay up. Magnus, to his own horror and disappointment enjoyed their meet ups. 

During the first few months, Magnus had barely spoken a word...But it had gotten better with time. 

Even though he loathed the politician, he enjoyed spending time with his father.

He missed being a son. He missed having a family.

So, after the first year and one lunch after the other...Magnus had decided to give his father a chance. It might sounded incredibly stupid to someone else...but to Magnus...he had sone hope left for his father. 

When Jace asked why he kept seeing his father...the answer was too easy for Magnus. 

Because he took me in when I had no one else. Because he loved me when no one did. Because he kept me safe when people tried to hurt me. Because he taught me it’s okay to look different. because I have no one else left.

“I keep talking to him because he is my father,” Magnus said simply.

Alec wouldn’t get it. He just wouldn’t.

“I get it,” Jace smiled a little. “He is your father. Sometimes that’s all the reason you need. I would do anything to talk to my parents again.”

Magnus tried to smile back. It was never easy losing a parent. Jace had lost both on the same day. He couldn’t imagine how Jace was the way he was, cheerful, optimistic and fearless, after being through so much. But he supposed that was Jace Herondale.

“Thank you,” Magnus said. “Do you think Alec will talk to me again?”

Jace actually laughed. “Oh, Magnus. That car must have hit you pretty hard. Of course, he is going to talk to you again. Why would you even think like that? I know Alec is not happy with his parents but come on! He is going to under-”

“It’s not just about my dad,” Magnus bit his lip. “We’ve been fighting…about other stuff.”

“Is this about moving in together?” Jace asked hesitantly.

“He told you about it?”

“Not really,” Jace said. “But I could tell something was off. He looked so annoyed when I asked about it before.”

“Now he must feel even worse,” Magnus shuddered internally. “Maybe I should play the ‘I almost died’ card? Do you think it will work?”

“Why do you not want to move in with him?” Jace asked. “I always thought you would be the first to ask.”

“I just don’t think it’s-’

“Don’t give me the ‘I don’t think we are ready’ crap, Magnus,” Jace interrupted. “I follow you on Pinterest. I’ve seen your moodboards. There are so many pins under the moodboard Home. The cobalt blue aesthetic screams Alec.”

“You are on pinterest?” Magnus asked, completely surprised.

“Why do you not want to move in together?” Jace ignored the question and asked again. “And don’t bullshit me.”

Magnus sighed.

“This was not the first time.”

“Yeah, you moved in with some psycho called Camille. I heard,” Jace rolled his eyes. “But Alec is not her. It’s not going to be-”

“I am not talking about that,” Magnus interrupted. “What happened with Kylie…This was not the first time.”

Jace looked shook to the core.

“People have tried to kill you before?” Jace demanded. “Is it because of your job?”

“Not just that,” Magnus said quietly. “It happened the first time when I was eleven.”

“Fuck,” Jace hissed. “Because of…your dad?”

“He he took me in after my mom died…A lot of people didn’t know about me back then, mostly because my father was still only a defense attorney. But he made a lot of enemies. And one of them…We didn’t know who…They tried to set my room on fire. My father saved me just in time. We thought it was an accident first but then the brakes in the car didn’t work when I was on my way to school and someone tried to kidnap me at school and...It just kept happening. And the more powerful my father became, the worse it got for me.”

“I am so sorry, Magnus,” Jace said. “No kid deserves to go through that.”

“When my father figured out people were trying to hurt me to get back at him, he sent me away. He didn’t want people knowing he had a son. That’s why not a lot of people know about our relationship. After high school, my father sent me away. I went to Cambridge. That’s where I met Ragnor. I didn't want to leave him at first but I was looking for anything to move on from Camille....So I left. I finished law school and got back…but my father was a completely different person. Maybe I didn’t know him before. I don’t know. But I didn’t like who he was when I got back. I was more mature then. I understood he was corrupt and unfair. I had friends I trusted. So, I left home. The more I learned about him, the more disappointed and disturbed I became. So, I changed my name. I created my own life. I tried to be good. I tried to be better. But somehow, I ended up making more enemies than him. People have been trying…It started when I was assigned Valentine’s case.”

“That fucking…I am going to talk to Lydia. We are getting you police protection,” Jace stood up.

“Jace, don’t you think I would have done something sooner if I could?” Magnus sighed. “If I tried to get protection, it would only bring more attention. Besides, I don’t want to walk around with bodyguards. I just want to finish this case. I want it to be over so I can be safe again. So I can be left alone and pursue my judgeship. So I can move in with Alec without having to worry about his safety.”

“You should tell Alec the truth, Magnus,” Jace advised. “He might understand.”

“No, that will only make him want to more in with me more,” Magnus pointed out. “You know how he is.”

“Yeah, he is a little…protective,” Jace chuckled nervously. “Fine. Okay. But can I put a tracker on your phone? Just so I know where you are.”

“I’m pretty sure Alec had 27 of those in here already,” Magnus chuckled back. “But sure. You do what will make you feel better.”

“I am not doing this to feel better or because it’s my job to protect you as a civilian,” Jace said. “You are important to Alec. So, you are important to me. I just want to make sure you are okay.”

“That’s some corny excuse for stalking me,” Magnus replied. “Just admit you are obsessed with me.”

“Never,” Jace poked out his tongue and got off the chair. “But I will leave you alone now. You should really get some rest. And think about what I said.”

“Why do people always tell me to think about what they said?” Magnus asked no one in particular. “I am so tired of thinking about things people said. It gives me unnecessary anxiety.”

“People do crazy shit when they care, remember?” Jace repeated his own words. “And a lot of people care about you, Magnus. Speaking of…Clary might come visit you later. She was in hysterics when she found out.”

“Can you tell her it’s nothing to worry about?” Magnus winced. “I just want to go home.”

Jace considered that for a minute.

“Fine. But she will be ambushing you at home then.”

“Better there than here,” Magnus mumbled. “Will you be there too?”

“I’m not sure, I am still on duty.”

“How about Alec? Will he come…After what happened?”

“He will always come for you,” Jace smiled.

“Yeah, I know,” Magnus snickered and winked at the other man.

“The car should have hit you harder,” Jace grumbled and let him alone.

Magnus was alone once again. He hated the feeling. Not just the feeling of being alone but the feeling of just sitting there and doing nothing. He felt like he was going crazy.

Is this how Alec wanted him to feel every single day?

How could even ask Magnus to give up the case when it was the only thing that was keeping him alive.

Other than Alec of course.

His job and his Alec.

They were the two most important things in his life. But naturally, they couldn’t just peacefully coexist, could they? No. Everything had to be a struggle.

Magnus looked around and noticed that the iPad was gone. Hmm. Raphael wasn’t going to be happy about that.

He pushed the button and called in the nurse to request a piece of paper and a pen. The press release was his idea. This was his moment. This was his chance to find Lilith. He wasn’t going to let it slip through his fingers.

For a moment, he pushed Alec away from his mind. It wasn’t easy. But it had to be done.

He cleared all his thoughts and stared at the piece of paper. He let the words flow. Once he was done, he gave the piece of paper to Catarina and asked her to send it to Raphael.

“Fine,” she had sulked. “But now you need to go to sleep.”

“Actually, now I think should be going home,” Magnus had countered.

“Magnus, no. You can’t-”

“Is it absolutely necessary that I stay?” Magnus raised an eyebrow. “I want you to answer as a doctor, not just as my friend.”

Catarina sighed tiredly, a sound he was intimately familiar with.

“Your concussion is not severe, thank god. So, you can leave if you want to. We can't keep you against your will anyway. But I’m just worried,” she conceded. “Is it absolutely necessary that you leave?”

“Cat, there is a mob boss out there I need to find,” Magnus pointed out with a chuckle. “So, yes. It is absolutely necessary.”

“Mob bosses are the worst,” Catarina said with a slight chuckle. “I hope you find her.”

“I hope so too,” Magnus smiled and hopped off the bed.

“Not so soon, Magnus,” Catarina pushed him back. “You can’t just hop out of bed and walk out of the hospital! This is not a movie. There is paperwork to do.”

“Ugh,” Magnus had groaned and fell back into the bed.

After nearly two hours, yes it took two hours of paperwork and tests, to finally get him cleared to leave. It was evening by the time he was done, so he decided to pay his friend a quick visit before going home. 

“You are absolutely insane,” Luke almost yelled. “What do you think you are playing at?”

“Dad,” Clary tried to calm him down. “Please. He has been through an accident.”

“Then ask him to act like it,” Luke said to her, but Magnus knew he was talking to him.

“I just wanted to help,” Magnus said quietly.

“You think we can’t handle this case on our own?” Luke demanded. “Is that what this is about?”

“Luke!” Magnus gasped. “Of course not. You know I trust you. I know you got this. I am not doing this for you. I am doing it for me. I need this case.”

And there it was.

He needed it.

He needed the case. He needed something to keep him going. He needed it to not fall into the abyss again.

“Please,” Magnus said. “I just want to help.”

Luke sighed. Magnus sometimes felt all his friends maybe sighed a little too much.

“I suppose you want to do the press release tomorrow?” Luke asked.

“Actually, no,” Magnus responded.

“But it was your idea,” Clary protested. “You should do it. You wrote it too. It’s only fair.”

“Despite contrary belief, I don’t seek glory,” Magnus chuckled dryly. “This is not about me. This is about finding Lilith and closing this case once and for all. If I do it, then the press release will be about me – and the accident. We don’t need diversions right now. The press release should be about Lilith and Lilith alone.”

Luke considered that for a moment and then nodded.

“I didn’t mean to snap at you, Magnus. I just want you to prioritize your health and your safety.”

“But our job is-”

“Yes, it is to protect other people and keep them safe,” Luke agreed. “But you will be no good for anyone if you are dead. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself a little.”

“But I do,” Magnus pointed out.

“Magnus, it’s not-”

“No, I really do,” Magnus said more forcefully. “I know it doesn’t seem like it. But I do choose myself and I do prioritize my wellbeing. I chose this job because it makes me happy. I chose Alec because he makes me feel better about myself. I chose this case because I know I am capable of handling it. Luke, I would never put myself in trouble just for the fun of it.”

Luke was quiet.

“I know it looks like I care about other people more than I care about myself, but that’s not true. I do care about myself. A lot. People think you can’t be happy and make others happy too. They are not mutually exclusive. I can have both.”

“Fine,” he finally conceded after a while. “But I am watching you, Magnus. No more messing around.”

“Fine,” Magnus rolled his eyes. “I’ll try not to get murdered again.”

“That is all we ask,” Clary grinned and hugged them both. “Now, can we please talk about Alec?”

“What’s wrong with Alec?” Luke raised an eyebrow before Clary shooed him away.

“Nope. Not doing this,” Magnus tried to leave. “I’m going home and drowning my sorrows in a margherita.”

“Aren’t you on painkillers?” Clary asked.

“Yes, I am,” Magnus winked. “Score!”

Clary sighed.

“Just be careful, okay?” she said. “And promise me you will figure out this…thing with Alec. I hate this. There is something cosmically wrong about you two fighting.”

Magnus didn’t know about the cosmic thing. But he knew that something did feel wrong – something within him didn’t feel right. It was as if he was walking off axis. Not too much, but just so slightly to know the difference.

“We’ll be fine,” Magnus promised.

“Are you going to go see him now?” Clary asked worriedly.

Magnus thought about it.

Yes, he had hidden something important from Alec. Yes, he should apologize. But this fight had started way before the accident and that had not been his fault. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Magnus had wailed. “Please don’t send me back to the orphanage. I swear I’ll be careful next time.”

His father had stared at the broken crystal on the floor and the cat looking satisfied next to it.

“I just wanted to feed the Chairman,” Magnus had explained in his mother tongue between whimpers. “But he got scared. He ran away. He ran far away from me. I chased and then-”

“Hush, child,” his father had said then. “It’s alright. It wasn’t your fault. We shouldn’t feel guilty about things we cannot control. Do you hear me? Now let’s clean this up and get this little rascal of a kitten some food, shall we?”

Magnus had wiped his tears and smiled at this father then. He had never apologized for something that wasn’t his fault, not after that lesson.

He wasn’t going to start now.

Besides, Alec had been the one to leave. Magnus couldn’t run after him. Not today. He was too tired.

He did get hit by a car, after all.

“I think I’m gonna head home,” Magnus told her. “Alec will find me when he is ready to talk.”

But Alec didn’t.

The next day had passed in a whirlwind with the media release. Luke had expertly dodged all irrelevant questions about Magnus’ accident and had conducted the press release seamlessly.

Now it wasn’t just the team that was buzzing about Lilith, but the whole of New York. The anonymous tip line had been bombarded with calls that Sunday – so much so they had to bring in more people to answer the phone.

Magnus had tried to volunteer but had been shooed away by Lydia. Clary, who of course had also volunteered, had told him that Alec had looked ‘really emo’.

But he still hadn’t visited Magnus.

He hadn’t called or texted either. Just complete silence.

The only sound around him was the news channel, with every other reporter talking about the mysterious Lilith and what this could mean for the case.

It was surprising how much he was annoyed by the news when in fact he should be glad that the plan had worked out.

But instead, he was in his robe sulking and sipping scotch. He knew he was drinking just a little too much. But he was supposed to relax this week. So, technically...he was only following orders. 

Monday rolled around, and still there was no word.

Magnus had been ordered by Luke to take a week off from work of course, which he never really enjoyed. He didn’t prefer to be alone and actually enjoyed the chaos that was the courthouse. He had argued that he should be at work.

Luke had suggested that if he wished he could help out with the tip line. But since that’s where Alec was at the moment, Magnus had awkwardly declined.

So, here he was on house arrest, on day three – going through the notes Clary had sent him, desperately trying to comb through the irrelevant information and hoping to find something useful on Lilith.

Maybe Alec had given up on him. Maybe all the lying and hiding and fighting had gotten too much.

By the time it was Wednesday, he had still heard nothing from Alec. Without work and without Alec, he had been a complete and utter wreck. He knew he had to meet his father tomorrow. But in his current state, Magnus wasn’t ready to meet the delivery guy who was currently waiting outside the door with his dinner. So, fuck his dad.

Fuck everything.

He felt like drowning. He was drowning in sorrow.

But most importantly, in alcohol.

When his stomach finally started to protest in hunger, Magnus had called up Maia’s bar and ordered some dinner – along with another bottle of whiskey. He had already run out. He didn’t have anything else to do since he was on forced sick leave and currently boyfriend-less. So, he might as well do whatever he wanted, right?

The bell rang and Magnus slowly found his way to the door. It had seemed far away, but it was only a couple of steps away. Apparently, he had fallen asleep next to the door waiting for Alec to turn up.

“At least you bothered to show up,” Magnus giggled when he opened the door. “Unlike my boyfriend.”

“Magnus?”

Magnus looked up.

Even the delivery guy looked like his Alec.

“Raphael was right! Too much alcohol can lead to hallucinations,” Magnus grimaced. “But shush. Never tell that smug bastard he was right.”

“You need a shower,” the man pointed out blankly. “Come with me.”

“Sir, I am taken,” Magnus gasped. “How dare you.”

A firm hand gripped his wrist and dragged him to the bedroom.

“Hey, mister! I can sue you for harassment,” Magnus threatened the man. “I am a lawyer!”

They ended up in the threshold of his bathroom and Magnus tried to let go of the other man’s grip.

“Magnus,” the voice said more softly now. “It’s me. Alec."

Magnus rubbed his eyes and peered at the other man. It was Alec! He was hallucinating about Alec...as a delivery guy. Maybe the mediocre porn industry had finally got to him.

Imaginary Alec pointed at the bathroom. Finally! Things were starting to look up.

“Shower sex?” Magnus grinned.

“Shower.”

“You are no fun,” Magnus poked out his tongue. “Fine. Okay. But only because I need to clean up before I can start the next round. We must do everything in style!”

Alec pushed him inside and gently closed the door. Magnus stood underneath the shower with his clothes on and let the water wash the stench away.

It wasn’t just the stench of alcohol he wanted to get rid of – it was the stench of loneliness. The stench of heartbreak.

He slowly removed his clothes off and dropped them on the floor. Why did that take so much energy? Alec always made it seem so easy.

Alec.

No.

Magnus shut his closed eyes even tighter. He realized how pathetic he must be to hallucinate Alec in order to get himself to take a shower. But he had gotten here, nevertheless. So, maybe the technique didn’t really matter. The bar was pathetically low right now. So, Magnus supposed it was okay.

He didn’t know how long he was in the shower, but when he came out, he felt slightly better. Or worse. He wasn’t sure. He smelled better though. There was that.

The man was sitting on the bed, doing nothing. He wasn’t on his phone or reading a book or eating something. He was just sitting. He had always been capable of being alone with his thoughts without requiring any distractions. Magnus, who constantly felt like he needed to be do something in order to not lose his mind, greatly envied that quality.

This wasn't imaginary Alec.

“You are actually here,” Magnus whispered.

Alec was sitting on the edge of the bed, something he only did when he felt uncomfortable. He would treat apartment like he was a guest, feeling alienated from everything – even the furniture.

This was his Alec.

“We need to talk,” Alec said and Magnus wanted to run back into the shower. “But you are drunk out of your mind. So, first you need to get some sleep.”

“Will you stay?” Magnus asked quietly. “Will you spend the night with me?”

“Magnus,” Alec sounded really worried. “It’s 10 in the morning.”

“Oh.”

He walked up to the bedroom curtains and opened them. The bright light burned his skin as if he was a vampire. Magnus closed them immediately and turned to Alec.

“You called Maia and ordered dinner,” Alec said. “She said you didn’t sound like yourself. And that you had ordered three bottles of whiskeys over the last two days.”

“I didn’t peg Maia to be gossiping type,” Magnus complained.

“She was worried!” Alec argued. “What are you even doing? You should be resting. Getting better. Not worse!”

“I was processing!” Magnus pointed out exasperatedly. “That requires a lot of alcohol!”

“Processing what?” Alec asked.

That I might be lose you.

Growing up, Magnus had been terrified of dying. People had tried to kill him so many times that sometimes he felt like his life was a video game. The fear of dying at any moment had taken over his life. But after years of playing this meaningless game, Magnus had given up. After Camille in high school and the abyss that had swallowed him up later...He had given up.

He had given up his fear of dying since he had giving up on living itself.

It had been law school, his passion for justice, the love for his job, that had revived him. He had found hope to live. He found the strength to fight one day at a time. Of course, his job had only made everything worse. The target on his back became bigger and his anxiety had gotten out of control. But Magnus kept fighting every day.

He had to be careful though. He was still a little afraid every day.

He didn’t eat from any restaurant he didn’t know because he worried someone might try to poison him. He only travelled in public transport because he was worried someone might mess with his car.

But then he had met Alec.

And the fear of dying had completely evaporated. Just like that.

Of course, he was still afraid to lie. Just a smidge. He was human after all. But the need to protect Alec was stronger than the need to survive.

He couldn’t wrap his head around any of it. How could you care so much about another person? How could you value someone else’s life more important than your own?

It didn’t make any sense. But Magnus didn’t want it to. Alec was there. The fear of losing Alec was worse than dying.

Magnus moved forward then and kissed Alec furiously. It finally hit him that he could have died the other day. He could have died, and he would have never seen Alec again. Alec kissed him back, like he was starving too. 

Magnus moved his hands towards Alec’s t-shirt and shrugged it off. He took of the robe he was wearing and pushed Alec into the bed. Alec stared at him, his eyes dazed, worried and hungry – all at the same time.

He climbed on top of his boyfriend and started kissing him again, every kiss giving him more control. He started kissing Alec’s throat, a sensitive area only he knew about.

Magnus tried to take off his boxers, without taking his lips off Alec. He didn’t want to lose contact. Not for a single moment.

“Magnus,” Alec gasped. “No.”

“Alexander,” Magnus begged, kissing Alec’s torso. “Please. I need you.”

“No,” Alec moaned, fighting his own impulse.

“Alec, please-”

“I said no,” Alec said more forcefully now.

Magnus froze. He fell back against the pillows. He was still wearing his boxers. But he felt utterly naked, exposed and ashamed.

But on the other hand, it made total sense. Magnus should have expected this.

“You don’t want me,” he said hoarsely.

“What?” Alec asked, not bothering to put on his t-shirt.

“You don’t want me,” Magnus repeated. “Now that you know who I am.”

“Magnus, what even- I don’t want you right now because you are drunk.”

Magnus bit his lip and hugged himself.

“So, it’s not…It’s not because of my…father?”

Alec rolled his eyes. “Magnus, this might sound crazy, but your father is the last thing in my head when we are having sex.”

Magnus smiled then. For the first time that week.

“You need to sleep,” Alec got off the bed and closed the curtains tighter. “Please. Go to sleep.”

“Okay,” Magnus said. He honestly didn’t know what else to say.

He turned around and closed his eyes. He didn’t bother to cover himself with a blanket. The cold was prickling his skin, as tears were prickling his eyes.

It was funny. He had desperately wanted Alec here with him. But now he wanted nothing more than to be alone.

A moment later, lean, cold hands wrapped around his torso. Alec’s hands were always cold for some reason, but Magnus had always found warmth in the other man’s touch.

The room was dark, except for a single ray of sunlight sneaking its way through the crack in the curtains. Magnus decided to hold on to it.

Magnus let Alec hold him. Magnus let Alec in.

“Why didn’t you call?” Magnus whispered into the dark.

He felt Alec sigh ever so slightly, his breath tickling Magnus’ neck. “You had been through a lot. I was…I was giving you space.”

That didn’t sound like Alec. The Alec he knew wasn’t the type who gave space. Alec hated being left out. He always wanted to be present, especially when it came to Magnus.

This wasn’t him.

“Jace?” Magnus asked.

“Izzy,” Alec replied.

“That makes sense,” Magnus yawned. “Do you want to tal-”

Alec’s arms wrapped around him tighter. “Sleep. We’ll talk when you wake up.”

Magnus yawned again and closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, he felt lighter. Not only because he was no longer wrapped in Alec’s arms, but because he had sobered up a little. Not entirely of course, but enough to understand that a dreadful and shameful conversation awaited him just past the threshold.

Alec had never really found alcohol to be enticing. He limited himself to a couple of beers and had the occasional glass of scotch when he felt like shit. But he rarely ever got drunk or depended on alcohol to get through the day.

Magnus could not say the same for himself.

But Alec had never held that against him. He had never judged Magnus for his drinking habits, after all it had been a part of him for longer than the other man. Over the years, alcohol had become his coping mechanism. Magnus used to go for meetings but had given up when he realized that without alcohol he would fall back into the abyss. What if Alec didn't get that?

Magnus decided to rip the band aid off and got off bed. He went straight to the bathroom to get ready. By the time he came out, the smell of butter and sugar was singing in the air. Magnus smiled as he walked into the kitchen.

“If I knew getting hit by a car would get me your French toast, I would done that a long time ago.”

Alec turned around. “Glad to see your sense of humor is back.”

He did not sound amused though. He sounded stiff.

“Is everything okay?” Magnus asked, as he moved closer.

“Magnus, nothing about any of this is okay,” Alec sighed. “How could you even ask that?”

“I-” Magnus stopped himself. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Of course I do!” Alec pointed out exasperatedly.

“Of course you do,” Magnus repeated. “Why else would you have stayed.”

“I stayed because I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Alec pointed out now. “Not because I wanted to fight.”

“Alexand-”

“Sit down,” Alec ordered, and Magnus complied. Alec served him a plate of French toast, which he gobbled up immediately.

The half-moon was shining through the kitchen window and Magnus finally felt well rested. His head was still throbbing a little, but he didn’t know whether it had anything to do with the alcohol.

“I love having breakfast for dinner,” Magnus pointed out, swallowing another mouthful. “My father and I used to do it all the time.”

“Now which father would that be?” Alec questioned. “The one who is the governor or the one is supposedly dead?”

Magnus put down the cutlery. He guessed there was no room to hide anymore.

“I suppose you might have questions,” Magnus said quietly.

Alec raised an eyebrow as if to say ‘you think?’.

“Alright,” Magnus sighed. “Let’s get this over with. What do you want to know.”

“I don’t want to know anything you don’t want to share,” Alec said quietly. “So if you don’t want to talk, I guess…I guess I can live with that.”

Magnus’ heart softened at that.

“Talking to you to is one of my favorite things to do,” Magnus confessed. “and hidings things from you is one of my unfavorite things to do. So, no. It’s fine. Let’s talk. Just promise…Just promise you won’t hate me at the end of it.”

“What the f-” Alec stopped and rolled his eyes. “Fine. Okay. I won’t _hate_ you at the end of it.”

Alec sat down in front of him then and made eye contact. His boyfriend was one of the best interrogators in New York. Magnus stood no chance. He mentally prepared himself and took a couple of deep breaths.

“I am not going to interrogate you, Magnus,” Alec sighed. “I just want to make sense of all of this.”

“Okay,” Magnus said. “What do you want to know?”

“How long have you known the governor?”

“Since I was 11,” Magnus replied. “After my mother passed away, I was in the system for a file. In Indonesia. One day, he just found me. He told me he was an attorney…and that he was my father. I didn’t understand much then. I just wanted to get out of there. So, when he asked me if I wanted to go to America with him…I said yes.”

“So, you’ve been his son ever since?” Alec asked and Magnus could feel the tension in his voice.

“Yes and no,” Magnus answered. “I was with him until I finished high school. I left to London after that.”

“What did you leave?”

 _Don’t tell him the truth_ , the voice whispered. _Don’t tell him._

“For law school,” Magnus said. “Cambridge has one of the best law schools and I just wanted a fresh start…after everything with Camille.”

Alec remained impassive. He didn’t react or respond. He gave nothing away. This was an interrogation after all.

“And when you came back?”

“When I came back…He was no longer just a criminal defense attorney,” Magnus said. “He was the mayor. I knew he was running, and I knew he always wanted this but…but I didn’t know enough about his policies back then. But after law school…Well, let’s just say that I knew enough to understand that he should be only of the people I should be prosecuting at court.”

“So why didn’t you?” Alec asked, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Oh, Alec.

Alec always saw things as black and white. He believed in the law above all else. Of course his instinct would want him to arrest the culprit instead of protect his parent.

Magnus wanted to say he didn’t do anything because Asmodeus Edom had been his father. It was simple as that.

But he was ashamed to admit that. Most importantly, he didn’t think Alec would understand it at all.

“Because I had just passed the bar,” Magnus said instead. “It wasn’t as it is now, Alec. I couldn’t just walk up to the mayor and arrest him. You know it’s not that easy.”

Alec made a noise. “Then what did you do?”

“I moved out,” Magnus said truthfully now. “I didn’t want to live with him when I figured out we didn’t share the same values. No one really knew I was his son. I only lived with him for a few years and we mostly kept a low profile because of his job.”

 _And because people were constantly trying to kill you_ , the voice snickered.

Alec nodded then, as if he was satisfied with the backstory.

All of it was true after all. Magnus just omitted some details. This was already horrible enough. He didn’t want to make it worse. He just wanted to get back to how things used to be.

That is if Alec wanted to get back together at all.

“After we done?” Magnus asked.

“A couple more,” Alec raised a finger. “At the hospital…It sounded like you two were still close. Do you still see him?”

“Yes,” Magnus admitted quietly. “I see him once a week.”

“Magnus, why would you even do that?” Alec inquired in disbelief.

Because I made a promise, Magnus wanted to scream. 

But that wouldn't be the whole truth now, would it? It wasn't as if his father forced him to attend these lunches. Magnus could very well stopped going if he wanted to. But he didn't. Because the lunches meant something to him as much as they did to his father. 

“You’re judging,” Magnus pointed out, feeling hurt.

“No, no,” Alec shook his head. “I am trying to understand you, Magnus. I don’t know much about him and still want to keep my distance from that guy. He is dangerous and you know it. Why would you keep going back to him after knowing everything about him?”

Magnus decided to be honest then – whether Alec understood it or not.

“Because I don’t have an Izzy or a Max,” Magnus said. “I just have him.”

“Magnus, you don’t nee-”

“Please don’t,” Magnus intervened quickly. “Please don’t tell me I don’t need him. You don’t understand what I do and don’t need. He is my father, Alec. He is my family. The only family I’ve got. I was an orphan until he found me. I know what it feels like to be without a family. I don’t want to go back there again.”

“Magnus, he is corrupt,” Alec argued as if Magnus didn’t know. “He is a monster. All he cares about his power. He doesn’t give a shit about the citizens o-”

“Alec, you don’t think I know that?” Magnus asked.

“Then why?” Alec asked, totally at a loss.

“Because if a politician is bad, you can get rid of them and elect a new one. I can’t do that with my father. If I don't like him, I can’t get rid of him and get myself another father. I don’t have that luxury.”

Alec’s nostrils flared, he was opening and closing his fists. Magnus knew what that meant. It meant Alec didn’t agree. It meant Alec wanted to fight back.

It meant Alec didn’t get him.

“You don’t get it,” Magnus said, mostly to himself.

“No, I don’t,” Alec replied. “But…But I am okay with it.”

 _He is lying_ , the voice said. _He is going to hold this against you forever._

“Are we done?” Magnus asked, hoping it was over.

“No,” Alec said shortly. 

Magnus bit his lip.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Alec asked, and for the first time that day, he was the one who sounded hurt.

“Because I didn’t want you to judge me,” Magnus said. “and I…I didn’t want you to leave me.”

“Why in the ever loving fuck would I leave you?” Alec demanded. “And why does that seem to be your first conclusion to every damn situation?”

Because you deserve better.

“Because I am the governor’s son?” Magnus asked instead. “Because my father is…a monster like you said?”

“Magnus, we started dating after we found out my parents are selfish traitors,” Alec pointed out. “You accepted me for who I am. You didn’t think I would do the same?”

“No,” Magnus said, maybe a little too quickly. “We are different people, Alec. You arrested your own parents. I’m not judging you for it by the way. I’m saying it’s who you are. You are strong. You are smart. You are capable of making difficult choices. I’m not that person. I’m not strong. And I’m naïve…because I still believe there is some hope left for him. I don’t know. Maybe I am just stupid.”

Alec got up from his chair and crossed the dining table. He knelt in front of him and took Magnus’ hands in his.

“What are you are is the most incredible person I have ever met. Just because you are vulnerable, it doesn’t mean you aren’t strong. Just because you have faith, it doesn’t mean you are naïve. And just because you are hopeful, it doesn’t mean you’re stupid.”

“So, you don’t judge me?” Magnus asked, holding back tears. “You don’t think I’m…a monster.”

He took Magnus’ face in his hands and held it carefully, as if Magnus was something precious and delicate.

“You are Magnus Bane,” Alec whispered. “You are the furthest thing from a monster.”

“I just need to know…” Magnus gulped back the years. “I just need to know that you are not scared of me.”

“Why would I be scared of you?” Alec asked.

Because my father is a monster. Because danger follows me wherever I go. Because I bring chaos to those around me.

“Because of my…background?” Magnus put it that way. “Because my father is dangerous?”

“Magnus, I am not scared of you,” Alec said incredulously. “I am scared for you.”

“I-” Magnus stopped.

This is not how he had expected this conversation to go. He had expected Alec to be angry. He had expected to throw a bloody fit.

He had expected Alec to give up on him.

But maybe…Maybe out of all their troubles and challenges…Maybe Alec understood this one.

Maybe Alec understood what it is like to have a shitty parent. Maybe Alec understood what it is like to be a lonely child.

Maybe Alec just loved him that much.

Magnus didn’t really get it. But he decided to take a page from Alec’s page and be okay with it.

“Just promise me you will talk to me next time,” Alec asked. “I know…I know some things are not easy to talk about. But you need to try. Will you try?”

“I’ll try,” Magnus promised. “So, you are not angry with me? About lying to you?”

“I’m not,” Alec said, sitting down on the floor now. “But I’m pissed about the reckless drinking. But I’m letting you off the hook this once...considering you got hit by a car and all that.”

“Yay,” Magnus cheered and threw himself over Alec. “Also, can you not mention the accident? I am still processing it. It wounded my pride.”

“It wounded your head,” Alec grumbled. “Kylie’s hearing is tomorrow by the way. Raphael will make sure it’s not the same one as her sister.”

“Will she be okay?” Magnus bit his lip.

“Magnus, she tried to kill you!” Alec argued.

Magnus thought about what his father had told him. His father had asked him to hold people accountable for their actions. 

But from what Catarina had told him, Kylie was supposed to go to college just next year. She wasn't a murderer. She is just a scared, lonely child. Magnus knew what that felt like. Maybe Kylie deserved another chance. 

_Just because you are vulnerable, it doesn’t mean you aren’t strong. Just because you have faith, it doesn’t mean you are naïve. And just because you are hopeful, it doesn’t mean you’re stupid._

“Yeah, but she didn't kill me though,” Magnus shrugged. “She was angry. She is just a kid, Alec. She lost her sister. She did stop in the last moment, remember? She doesn’t need prison. She needs help. We need to help her.”

Alec chuckled softly and shook his head. “The world doesn’t deserve you, Magnus Bane. Fine, okay. I’ll talk to Raphael. But I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“I have no doubt,” Magnus chuckled. “Is the interrogation over, detective?”

“Actually, there is something else I want to ask,” Alec said. “An important one.”

Oh.

“I get that it’s different for you…I mean, I don’t totally get it but I think I kind of do…He is just the governor to me…But he is more than just the governor to you…The point is...Magnus, I’m not going to tell you how to handle your father…It’s not my job.”

“Okay…” Magnus said worriedly.

“He is a piece of shit in my opinion and that’s not going to change,” Alec said and Magnus winced. “But you need to understand….He isn’t just the governor to me anymore either.”

“What do you mean?” Magnus asked.

“I mean…I mean I get that he is a bad politician and all that, and there is nothing you and I can personally do about it….I mean we can take him down if we want to…but I guess that’s a bit more complicated topic and we can talk about it later and-”

“Alec, what are you trying to say?” Magnus asked, his anxiety getting worse every second.

“I just…I just wanted to know if he treats you the way he treats everyone else,” Alec said then. “I know he is a shit politician. But how is he as a father? I want to know if he is good to you.”

Magnus smiled. What did he do to deserve this man?

Magnus had wondered about this a lot on his own too. Every time he tried to think of a way bad experience with his father, he just couldn’t. instead he kept thinking of instances where his father repeatedly saved him.

They had been asked to dress up for career day at school when Magnus had been in seventh grade. The new teacher had asked all the students to dress up something that fit whatever job they wanted to do in the future. Magnus had not understood why American schools had so many events and distractions. But he did enjoy the excuse to dress up. But it had been pointed out to him by some of his classmates that he couldn't dress up as he wanted. 

This hadn't been the first time of course. In Indonesia, people had told him how to dress based on his gender. Magnus knew all about those rules. 

But it was only when he had moved to America he had found out that how you dressed got dictated by your race too. 

“I’m going as a teacher,” Magnus had said quietly as his father had tucked him to sleep that night.

“Oh,” his father had frowned. “But I thought you wanted to dress up as the president.”

“I did,” Magnus had nodded. “But I don’t think I can become president.”

“Why not?” his father had asked.

“Because I am brown,” Magnus had pointed out. “We don’t have presidents who are not white.”

“I think that’s exactly why you should be president,” his father had smiled. “First time for everything, Magnus .”

The next day, his father had woken him up with a freshly pressed little suit for him to wear to school. He had even gotten him a pin of the American flag to wear on his jacket. Magnus had worn that proudly to school that day and showed it to all his classmates. 

“He is a good father,” Magnus said now. “He is not perfect of course as you know. But he is okay."

Alec looked skeptical. Magnus wasn’t sure about what or whom.

“Okay,” Alec nodded, taking it all in. “Okay. I’m glad he is been good to you…But he is still on my shit list. And if he ever tries to hurt you, Magnus…I swear to fucking c-”

Magnus wanted to say that it wasn’t his father who was trying to hurt him…Not really. It was everything that came with his father. If anything, his father had been trying to protect him from danger. He had protected them all from danger. 

_Shhhh_ , the voice said. _He doesn't have to know about that._

“I got it handled, Alexander,” Magnus had kissed him on the nose. “Are we…Are we good?”

Magnus knew they weren’t. Not really. There was so much to talk about. So much to fix.

But he needed a win today.

Maybe Alec felt that way too.

“We are good,” Alec said. “But about what I said…About Camille and- I'm so sorry.”

“I’m sorry about that too,” Magnus said. “But we talked about it, remember? It’s water under the bridge. You know that, right?”

“Hmmm,” Alec hummed and rested his head on Magnus’ shoulder.

“Are we done?" Magnus asked. "I want more French Toast. I am starving!”

“Actually, I have one more,” Alec chuckled nervously.

“Alexander,” Magnus whined. “I pity those criminals you interrogate. You are relentless.”

“Just one more,” Alec kissed his neck. “And then you can have all the French toast you want.”

“Alright you,” Magnus pulled back. “What is it then?”

“Your name,” Alec said hesitantly. “You said no one knows you are his son. So, I guess it’s partly because you changed it. But…was it Edom? Before? Like your dad?”

“Oh,” Magnus said, because he hadn’t been expecting that. “It used to be. When I was in high school. But not anymore. I legally changed it to Bane. It was the first thing I did after I got my license.”

“Okay,” Alec said. “And Magnus…Is that your real name?”

Magnus bit his lip.

“No…"

"Oh," Alec said again. "What...What is it then?"

"It's...It’s…Benjamin,” Magnus looked away.

“Oh,” Alec said once more, trying to hide his surprise.

“You hate it,” Magnus pointed out and tried to get away. “I knew you would hate it. That’s why I never tol-”

“No, no, no,” Alec said quickly and pulled him back into a hug. “It doesn’t matter what you are called. It doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care. I promise. I still love you.”

“You do?” Magnus asked. 

“Of course, I do,” Alec whispered. “I will always love you…Benjamin.”

Magnus couldn’t do it anymore. His shoulders started shaking.

“Wha-” Alec looked lost as he broke the hug. “Oh my…You fucking asshole! It’s not Benjamin, is it???”

Magnus started laughing even harder.

“That’s it,” Alec stood up. “No more French toast for you!”

“Oh, come on!” Magnus got up after him, still laughing. “It was hilarious. You have to admit-”

“It wasn’t-” Alec’s phone rang and he picked it up. “This conversation is so not over, Magnus. Hey, Jace! Listen, you will not believe the shit Magnus ju-”

Alec stopped speaking abruptly. His eyes widened and Magnus’ heart stopped.

What now? What was it now?

Alec put the phone down.

“Lilith.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mother of Demons is here, homies. 
> 
> Find me on Tumblr @khaleesiofalicante.
> 
> Fun fact: A child in America is more likely to live with a pet than with a father. (VERY concerning)


	7. Stephon Clark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Listen, I know we didn’t expect the case to close this soon,” Jace said. “And we probably never hoped to be done with it. I get that it might be a little surreal that it’s all coming to an end.”
> 
> “It’s not surreal,” Magnus said in frustration. “It’s suspicious.”
> 
> “Magnus, why can’t you just be happy about this?” Alec demanded. “We are going to close this case before the governor’s deadline! We don’t have to wait for the feds to take this away from us. For once, something is going according to plan.”
> 
> “And I’m glad it is,” Magnus admitted. “But all of this…It seems like someone else’s plan. Think about it. Lilith turns up out of nowhere just as we are moving close to our deadline. It’s like someone wants her here!”
> 
> “We do!!” Alec almost yelled. “We want her here!!”
> 
> Killer Whales, Gut Instincts, Non Murderers and Other Things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year and Happy Reading :)
> 
> This chapter deals with past trauma, so take a break if you need to. 
> 
> Song rec for this chapter: Fallen Angel - TAMS/ N OTWAY

Magnus grabbed his coat and ran to his home office.

“I just need to get a file,” he shouted over his shoulder. “Give me a minute.”

“Are you sure you want to come?” Alec asked, trying not to vibrate in excitement. “You are technically on sick leave.”

Magnus peeped out of the door with an incredulous expression on his face. “How could I not come?”

“Magnus, you are still recovering,” Alec pointed out, grabbing his badge and gun.

“It’s all good,” Magnus replied, jumping up and down for emphasize. “See? My body works just fine.”

 _I wasn’t talking about your body_ , Alec wanted to say. But he kept his mouth shut.

“I just-”

“Alec, this is my case as much as it is yours,” Magnus pointed out. “I deserve to be there.”

He wasn’t wrong.

But Alec knew nothing of Lilith. She was supposedly one of the killer whales in the Valentine’s circle. So, she was obviously powerful – and dangerous.

While most of him was understandably excited at the prospect of the interview that awaited him in the precinct, a part of him was beyond terrified – for Magnus.

He wasn’t comfortable taking Magnus to where Lilith was right now. He knew nothing about her. Nothing at all. It was hard to protect someone when you didn’t know what you were protecting them from.

“Magnus-”

“I almost died for this case!” Magnus pouted now.

A chuckle escaped his lips. “How long are you planning to play that card?”

“If everything goes according to plan,” Magnus said as walked towards him with a file. “Not for long.”

Alec quickly kissed him on the lips before they made their way downstairs to the parking. Alec opened the door for Magnus, a gesture that Magnus had adored since their very first date. He would smile at Alec every time he did it.

"You know you don't have to do it every single time, right?" Magnus had asked one day. 

"I know," Alec had shrugged. 

"I'm serious!" Magnus has said. "You don't have to open the door every time just to be chivalrous."

Alec had looked him with a puzzled expression. He wasn't chivalrous. 

"I'm not doing it to be chivalrous," he had corrected Magnus then. "I'm doing it because I love you."

That of course was the story of how Alec had told Magnus that he loved him for the first time. Magnus had promptly lost his mind and they of course had sex in the back of the car. It had been one of the best days of Alec's life. Because after they were done and Magnus had been resting on his chest in the back of his cramped up car, Magnus had kissed his nose and told him that he loved Alec too. 

Now, as Alec put on his seatbelt, he couldn’t help but look at face he loved best and be worried a little. 

“Are you sure you are okay to go in the car?” Alec bit his lip. “After what happened…Maybe we can take the subway? I’ll tell Lydi-”

“I’m fine, my love,” Magnus smiled. “Just drive.”

Alec decided to give his boyfriend the benefit of the doubt and stepped on the gas.

This was it. He was twenty minutes away from everything he had every wanted.

Lilith had to be the one. Seelie Queen had given them the intel. In addition, the woman was a ghost on the internet. It didn't sound right. If they had Lilith, it meant that this case was over. It meant the governor would lay off their back. It meant that the feds didn’t have to take over. It meant that he would not be separated from Jace.

It meant he could move in with Magnus.

It meant they could move _forward_.

“And we didn’t even have to subpoena her,” Magnus was saying now. “Don’t you think so?”

“Huh?”

Magnus have him an odd look. “I was saying this whole thing is a little fishy. It’s been less than a week since the press release.”

“This was your idea!” Alec pointed out. “You said it would work.”

“I said it _might_ ,” Magnus corrected. “And it was a long shot. If Lilith turned up out of nowhere just after a couple of days…Don’t you feel like something is wrong?”

“All I feel is fucking relief,” Alec replied. “Magnus, we are so close to being done with all of this. Aren’t you to glad it’s over?”

“Of course I am!” Magnus said. “I just…nothing. You’re right. I should be glad it’s almost over.”

Alec smiled and hoped it reached his eyes.

He knew Magnus. He knew how obsessive Magnus gets when he had a hunch. So, he knew this doubt wasn’t going to go away until they put Lilith behind the bars.

“What did Jace say?” Magnus asked now, as Alec took a left turn.

He was driving slowly. It was indeed an emergency. But it was dark. He was conscious of Magnus next to him. He didn’t want to drive too fast and risk Magnus’ life. Not after everything the other man had been through.

The case was important. Lilith was important. But not as much as Magnus.

“Jace didn’t say much,” Alec said. “He hasn’t talked with her yet.”

“Why not?” Magnus questioned. “He is a primary in the case too.”

“Apparently Lilith directly went to Lydia – who wants me to interview Lilith tonight itself.”

“Before Lilith changes her mind,” Magnus nodded. “Good call…Although…Are we sure we have the right person? Is Underhill running a background check?”

“I’m not sure,” Alec said. “We’ll know more when we get there.”

“We need a backup plan,” Magnus pointed out. “If this woman is merely a red herring…What if she is not the real Lilith? Or if isn't the killer whale? What if she is just a test? Maybe they are trying to get in-”

“Magnus, it’s like you want this operation to fail,” Alec said in frustration.

“I’m just saying we need to be prepared,” Magnus said calmly. “All of it just sounds…rushed. Don’t you feel the same?”

“Rushed?” Alec wanted to laugh. “Rushed? We have been trying to find the killer whale for almost three years now. This case moves slower than the fucking internet explorer.”

“Exactly! We had nothing on her for years. We found out about Lilith less than a month ago. And now we have an ID. It’s moving too fast!”

“And what exactly is wrong with that?” Alec demanded.

“I don’t know,” Magnus looked away. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“Baby,” Alec said softly as he pulled into the police plaza parking lot. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

“I-” Magnus removed his seatbelt. “I’m okay. You go on. I’ll be up on a second.”

Alec’s hands immediately moved to Magnus’ face. “What’s wrong? Is the migraine back?”

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” Magnus shrugged it off. “I just need to make a quick call to Raphael. I need to clarify something.”

“Magnus-”

“It will only be a moment,” Magnus promised. “You go get ready for your interview.”

Alec hesitated but Magnus was already punching buttons on his phone. Alec kissed him on the temple before getting off the car and going straight to the bullpen.

Jace was intensely staring at Underhill’s computer.

“Background check?” Alec inquired.

“Lilith Adams,” Jace reported. “That’s all we know. She has been in Lydia’s office since she arrived.”

“What do you think they are talking about?” Helen whispered.

“Fuck if I know,” Jace shrugged. “Her background check looks clean though.”

“Clean?” Alec echoed.

“No record,” Underhill confirmed. “Not so much as a parking ticket.”

“This is New York. How could she not have a parking ticket?” Aline rolled her eyes. “She be shady, y’all.”

“Actually, she is from London,” Underhill pointed out. “We only accessed her files thanks to Jace’s contacts there.”

“London,” Alec echoed. “It makes sense why couldn’t find anything on her. She wasn’t on any of the case files because she was never here.”

“It makes sense to have an offshore partner,” Aline agreed. “Valentine did train in Europe, remember?”

“Anything else?” Alec asked.

“Nope,” Underhill shook his head. “No extended family. Her file is as clean as Jace’s desk.”

“Goddammit, Lilith!” Jace groaned. “I can’t even enjoy that compliment for fuck’s sake!”

“Occupation?” Alec asked.

“She runs a charity based in London. The Talto Fund,” Underhill showed him the website. “It’s an international organization focusing on supporting abandoned and orphaned children from around the world – including the States.”

“Yikes,” Helen muttered. “Are we sure she is the one?”

“What do you mean, babe?” Aline raised an eyebrow.

“What if this is a decoy?” Helen asked. “It could someone else trying to gather information about the operation.”

“That’s what Magnus said,” Alec frowned.

“Magnus?” Jace looked around. “He is here?”

“How is he feeling?” Aline asked.

“He says he is fine,” Alec replied, deciding to spare them the details.

“That’s because he is in fact fine.”

Magnus was striding towards the group with grin on his face. He looked perfect in every possible way.

Jace often complained that the lighting in the precinct was “absolute shit”. Alec knew that was true since over the years he had learned to rely on his desk lamp for better visibility.

But right now, it didn’t seem that way. The entire precinct seemed to be brightened – merely by Magnus’ presence. It was almost as if Magnus walked underneath a spotlight, brightening up everything and everyone around him.

“Only Magnus would get hit by a car and become even better looking,” Helen muttered.

“Right?” Underhill giggled.

“It’s good to see you, Magnus,” Jace smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “Lilith is currently talking to Lydia. Alec and I will be interrogating her after. Are you ready for the climax?”

“I’m ready if Alec is,” Magnus winked.

“MAGNUS!” Jace groaned. “Why you gotta be this way?”

“Lilith’s background is clean,” Alec informed his boyfriend regretfully. “But we are hoping to get something from the interview.”

“She volunteered to talk,” Aline pointed out. “So, she must have something to say.”

“She has no visible ties to Valentine,” Underhill explained. “I mean, she runs a charity for children for crying out loud.”

“Hold on,” Magnus said. “Is this…Lilith Adams?”

All eyes landed on Magnus.

“You…You know her?” Jace raised an eyebrow.

“I...I’ve met her once,” Magnus nodded. “I attended a gala she held for the benefit of Bethesda.”

“And when was this?” Jace pulled out his notebook.

“Am I being interrogated?” Magnus looked at Alec.

“Of course not,” Alec replied. “Jace, put that away.”

“I just want to note what he knows about her,” Jace raised his hands in peace. “Just to get some context.”

“It was a gala in the Hamptons,” Magnus answered the question. “This was quite a while ago…right after I graduated from law school.”

“No offense,” Aline said. “But why would she invite a law school graduate to her charity gala?”

“She didn’t,” Magnus clarified. “I went because Catarina invited me. She was a trainee at Bethesda at the time. I went as her date.”

“And you spoke with Lilith?” Underhill asked.

“Very briefly,” Magnus replied. “She was...nice.”

"Nice?" Helen blinked.

"Yeah, nice," Magnus clarified again. "Honestly, I have this feeling that she isn't who we-"

“Jace and I need to prep,” Alec interrupted quickly, dragging Magnus away by the elbow. Jace was on their heels too.

Alec wasn’t a fan of plot twists. But considering the amount of information, he had learned about Magnus in the past 24 hours, this shouldn’t be surprising.

But Alec wasn’t a fan of plot twists. Not at all.

“How do you know Lilith?” Alec asked.

“I just told you,” Magnus replied.

“You weren’t lying?”

“Alec, why would I lie?” Magnus asked incredulously.

“Oh, I don’t know, Magnus,” Alec put up his hands. “Because you’ve been doing that a lot lately.”

“Alec,” Jace intervened. “Not now.”

“I wasn’t lying about Lilith,” Magnus said seriously. “I wouldn’t jeopardize the investigation.”

“So, you don’t know Lilith because of your father?” Alec asked.

“I have never talked about Lilith with my father,” Magnus said indignantly.

“Well, I assumed he might know he-”

“You _assumed_ ,” Magnus scoffed. “This is precisely why I didn’t tell you about my family.”

“Magnus, come on!” Alec tried to reason with him. “Any cop would be suspicious of that coincidence.”

“Well, you aren’t just any cop,” Magnus pointed out. “You are my boyfriend too.”

“Magnus, I just-”

“Can you two sort this out later?” Jace asked in exasperation. “We are in the middle of a life altering moment.”

“Actually, we are done talking,” Magnus pointed out even though they clearly had more to talk about. “Jace, I did want to talk with you.”

“Oh,” Jace said. “About what?”

“Don’t you feel like all of this…All of this seems rushed?” Magnus asked.

“Magnus, not this again,” Alec covered his face with a groan.

“What do you mean rushed?” Jace inquired anyway. “We planned this.”

“But the likelihood of that plan working out was very slim,” Magnus pointed out. “And we weren’t looking for Lilith herself. We were hoping someone else would come up. We expected some small-time guy to snitch. But Lilith revealing herself...This seems a little unexpected.”

“I know but there is nothing wrong with that, right?” Jace looked at Alec.

“That’s exactly what I said!” Alec chimed in.

“Listen, I know we didn’t expect the case to close this soon,” Jace said. “And we probably thought we will never be done with it. So I get that it might be a little surreal that it’s all coming to an end.”

“It’s not surreal,” Magnus said in frustration. “It’s suspicious.”

“Magnus, why can’t you just be happy about this?” Alec demanded. “We are going to close this case before the governor’s deadline! We don’t have to wait for the feds to take this away from us. For once, something is going according to plan.”

“And I’m glad it is,” Magnus admitted. “But all of this…It seems like someone else’s plan. Think about it. Lilith turns up out of nowhere just as we are moving close to our deadline. It’s like someone wants her here!”

“We do, Magnus!” Alec almost yelled. “We want her here!!”

“Magnus,” Jace intervened – again. “I get that all of this is happening too fast. And I get what you mean. It does seem like we are in a movie and everything is happening too fast.”

“Exactly!” Magnus said. “And you don’t think something feels off? When everything goes right all of a sudden?”

“Maybe you don’t want everything to go right,” Alec muttered under his breath – which both Jace and Magnus decided to ignore.

“I..” Jace paused for a minute. “I’m just glad it’s all over. I know it’s sudden and unrealistic. But we got Lilith, Magnus. It’s over.”

“It’s too soon, Jace,” Magnus said quietly.

“Maybe we got lucky,” Jace smiled.

“No,” Magnus said sharply. “We got lucky with Jocelyn. When she came up to us and gave us all that evidence – that was luck. This…This doesn’t feel like luck. This feels like manipulation.”

“Magnus, I know you are anxious abou-”

“This is not about my anxiety,” Magnus snapped. “This is about my instinct.”

Jace looked at him then. Alec knew what that look meant. Jace was asking for his opinion. Jace always asked for his opinion – even when Jace knew what to do. They never left each other behind. They were always on the same track. Always.

Alec didn’t want to lose that. Not today. Not ever.

It was yet another reason why they had get this over with and move on from this case. There was so much at stake. This was not the time for second thoughts. It was the time for action.

Alec shook his head, ever so subtly, that only Jace would ever see.

“Jace, please,” Magnus said now. “I’m not asking as Alec’s boyfriend. I’m asking you as a prosecutor. As the ADA. I’m asking you to trust my instinct. My experience. Please.”

Jace looked at Alec again – and then back at Magnus.

“Fine,” Jace relented, because he was one of many people who couldn't say no to Magnus. “What have you got?”

Magnus handed him a file. “These are all the calls that came in from the tip line after the press release.”

“Where did you even get that?” Alec inquired. “You weren’t even here.”

“Luke asked Lydia to share them with our team in the courthouse on a daily basis,” Magnus informed. “I couldn’t go over it in the last couple of days because…because I wasn’t feeling well. But I asked Raphael to email them to me and I went through it roughly and…Look!”

Jace peered at the piece of paper. “What is it?”

“The call from Lilith came in today morning,” Magnus pointed out the time in the sheet. “But the number…that’s a UK number. That’s not from around here.”

“Maybe she was in London then?” Jace asked.

“Jace, the flight time from London to here is almost seven hours,” Magnus replied. “And with security and traffic it might take a person at least 09 hours to get to New York from London. You know this!”

Jace, whose father was actually from London, did indeed travel back and forth when he was a kid. Magnus, who used to study in London, also seemed to know it. But Alec wasn’t convinced. It was as if Magnus was reaching harder than it was necessary.

Jace looked at Alec again.

“The call was made only 08 hours ago. From London,” Magnus explained. "So, she called us and jumped into the next plane? Is that what happened? Why the rush?"

“She could have taken a private jet,” Alec pointed out. “She is in fact very rich.”

“Alec, how could do you not see what I see?” Magnus groaned.

“Because what you are seeing is crazy,” Alec replied. “You are blowing this out of proportion. We should be focusing on figuring out how to get Lilith to talk. Not…Not this!”

Magnus stared at him incredulously and Alec saw the moment in which he gave up hope. Magnus turned to Jace now.

“Trust me,” he said.

Jace sighed. It was obvious that he was tired. Unlike Alec, he had not gone home at all. He was been manning the tip line since yesterday. He needed rest.

They all did.

“Fine,” Jace grabbed the file from Magnus. “I’m going to check airport security to check all passenger flights today. Let’s see what time her flight departed. If the flight had departed from London before the call was made…Then maybe something is wrong. Maybe it was someone else. Magnus, come with me.”

“Jace,” Alec hissed. “We need to prep for the interview!”

“Alec, you’re best interrogator in the entire building,” Jace pointed out. “I’ll come in as soon as we figure this out. I promise.”

Jace winked at him and bolted for the stairs, already on his way to get the flight information. Magnus started rapidly typing on his phone.

No. This was not how it was supposed to go.

Alec and Jace were supposed to interrogate Lilith and put her behind the bars. They were supposed to close this case.

They were supposed to move on and move forward.

And now…they could possibly go back to square one. If this was only a distraction or a ruse…They have to start all over again.

Alec didn’t have that kind of time.

Not when the governor was trying to take Jace away. Not when Magnus moved further away every passing day.

Why didn’t Magnus get that? Why didn’t he want to be done with the case like everyone else in the building?

Was Jace right? Was Magnus too attached to the case? Was he feeling anxious of letting go?

Why wouldn’t he want to move on with his life? It was whatever everyone wanted!

Unless…Unless, Magnus didn’t want that.

Magnus was about to bolt after Jace when Alec grabbed him by the arm.

“Is this about us?” Alec asked, anxiety pooling in his stomach.

“What?” Magnus blinked.

“Why are you being so adamant that something is wrong?” Alec asked. “We could be right, Magnus. Everything might just be fine and we could be done with this case.”

“Yes, we could be,” Magnus said. “But I’m not going to ignore my gut. You’re a cop. You know that feeling.”

“So, this is about your gut,” Alec repeated. “This isn’t about us?”

“What on earth are you even talking about?” Magnus inquired, completely perplexed. “What about us?”

“You said we could move in after the case was closed,” Alec bit his lip. “But now that we are actually going to close the case and…Is that it, Magnus? Is that why you keep coming up with theories that how we might be wrong? Do you not want to move in together?”

Do you not want me anymore? Are you done with me? Do you not see a future together?

Magnus’ eyes narrowed in confusion and a dry laugh escaped his soft lips. He twisted his arm away from Alec’s grip.

“You are un-fucking-believable,” Magnus hissed and followed after Jace.

Alec almost collapsed against the desk behind him.

Even though he had slept next to Magnus earlier that day, he was exhausted. As a cop, his body was in a permenant state of exhaustion. He was used to that. He was used to the long hours and dark circles and joint aches and 4 hour sleep cycles.

But he wasn’t used to this.

He wasn’t used to the pain in his chest. The constant ache that reminded him that something terrible was going to happen.

He knew what anxiety was and he knew how to deal with it. But he wasn't worried about himself. It was Magnus.

He didn’t know how to deal with his worries about Magnus. 

It was hard enough to control his fears about his future. But to think of Magnus and their future together…It rattled Alec every single time. It made him do things and say things that he regretted later on.

It made him a person he wasn’t proud of.

Most importantly, it made him a person Magnus was starting to despise.

Alec didn’t know what to do about any of this.

Right now, in this moment, he only knew that he had to do one thing.

Alec gathered himself together and marched towards Lydia’s office. He knocked twice before he heard Lydia ask him to come in.

“Detective Lightwood,” Lydia nodded as he walked in. “This is Ms. Addams.”

The woman sitting opposite Lydia was not who he had expected at all. She didn't look like a mob boss who ran a trafficking business alongside Valentine. 

She was beautiful. Pleasant. Welcoming.

She seemed...nice. 

“Detective Lightwood,” she smiled as she held out a hand. “I’ve heard good things about you.”

Alec shook her hand out of politeness. As a cop, a detective and an interrogator, first impressions were very important. His preconceived biases about Lilith were slowly starting to evaporate as the woman started talking about her charity to help juvenile delinquents in New York. 

She wasn’t intimidating like Magnus had said. She was warmth. She seemed like the kind of lady who waited outside her child’s school gate just so she could give him the biggest hug the moment he walked out.

“I was just telling Captain Branwell that I simply must have some of her finest officers at the gala,” she smiled. “It would truly be inspiring for the children to meet officers of law such as yourself.”

“Um,” Alec blinked.

“Thank you for the invitation, Ms. Addams,” Lydia said politely. “We are grateful for everything you do for the children here. But we do need to talk about…current issues.”

“Yes of course!” she grinned. “About my involvement with Valentine.”

“So, you do admit that you were involved with Valentine?” Alec raised a brow.

“Well, I’ve never tried to hide it!” she replied. “He was a generous donor to my charity.”

“How come we didn’t know about this?” Alec asked Lydia.

They had studied Valentine so thoroughly that all of them would get A+ on an exam on the subject. So, how did they not know about his philanthropic efforts?

“He was more of silent donor,” Lilith answered his question. “Never once boasted about his donations. Not once! It was probably his only redeemable trait.”

Alec was pretty sure that Valentine’s donations to the charity were nothing but self-serving. There were plenty of millionaires who donated and invested in arts and advocacy in order to launder their money. Maybe Valentine was one of them.

“Ms. Addams, as I was saying earlier, this is more about your connection to the Circle,” Lydia pointed out. “In this regard, we would like to conduct a formal interview.”

“I understand,” the woman nodded. “I wouldn’t be here if I had nothing to offer. Shall we, Detective?”

Alec opened the door for her as Lilith walked out and was escorted to the interrogation room by Helen.

"Do you know how she arrived in New York tonight?" Alec asked his captain. "Because the call-"

"I did note that," Lydia nodded. Of course she noted. Even Magnus did. How could Alec have missed it? "But apparently she had plans to be in New York today anyway. Her flight was planned. She was supposed to be here tonight regardless of the interview."

"Oh," Alec said. "What for?"

"She is organising a ball for raising money for refugee orphans," Lydia said, sounding a little awkward. 

Every detail they found out about this woman was just another hint that they could be wrong about all of it. Shit. Shit. Shit. 

“Why do I have this feeling that this isn’t who we are looking for?” Lydia asked.

No. Not her too.

This case was slipping away from him again.

“She is probably hiding something,” Alec said defiantly. “Seelie Queen said Lilith is the killer whale.”

“It’s not like Seelie Queen is our most reliable source of information,” Lydia pointed out and Alec knew she was right. “Nevertheless, let’s give this our best shot. You know what to do.”

Alec nodded and left the room to begin the interrogation. Helen was standing outside the door guarding the room. Lilith was not officially a suspect. But everyone understood her importance.

She might have nothing to do with Valentine’s Circle as she claimed. But she had something. And Alec intended to find out what it was before the day was over.

“Is Jace inside?” he asked Helen.

“He is with Magnus,” Helen said somewhat nervously. “He said he will be up in five.”

Goddamnit!

“You got this,” Helen smiled at him.

He smiled back or tried to. Alec took a deep breath in, counted to five – because sometimes three just wasn’t enough – and went into the interrogation room.

He sat opposite Lilith, who gave him the warmest of smiles.

 _Please god_ , Alec prayed to whoever was listening. _Please let this nice lady be a mafia boss._

But the more Lilith spoke about her work and who she was, the less it seemed like she had anything to do with the Circle.

“If you have anything to do with the Circle,” Alec tried not to visibly sigh. “May I ask why you are here? At the precinct?”

“The District Attorney mentioned that someone came forward with information,” Lilith bit her lip. “I honestly did not know how awful the situation was until I caught up with the case. I realized how much it would help your investigation if I shared anything I had. Just like your informant did. I wanted to help in any way that I can.”

Alec didn't know if he could trust her. The last person they had trusted was the Seelie Queen and that seemed to be a bad idea with every passing minute. But it wasn't like he had much of a choice. 

“Alright then,” Alec said. “What is that you know? What will help the investigation?”

“As I mentioned, I only knew Valentine was a donor to the fund,” she repeated herself. “But you must know that Valentine was quite particular about what we used his funds for. We run many programs focusing on supporting at risk children. Valentine requested – or rather in retrospect demanded – that his donations will be used for children interested in pursuing a career in the military. He started the Morning Star Program.”

“Every single penny he donated to Talto was spent on the Morning Star program on educating and training young boys and girls to join law enforcement. This is the program I was talking about earlier. The one I wanted your precinct to be involved in. The children, both the old pupil and the newcomers, were heartbroken when they found out about Valentine. Some of them even lost faith in law enforcement. It’s been hard to build back their trust and interest – which is why Talto has been focusing on engaging young officers such as yourself to encourage them to continue their education and training.”

“How long did Valentine’s funding last?” Alec inquired. “Did you accept donations after he was arrested?”

“Oh no,” her eyes widened. “We terminated all ties with Valentine long before that. I always found him to be rather…odd. So, when the rumors started circulating about the nature of his business…Well, I thought it would better to be safe than sorry. So, I politely declined his donations from that time onward.”

“But you still ran the program?” Alec raised a brow.

“Yes,” she nodded. “While Valentine himself might not be a good man, I believe the program he initiated with Talto did a lot of good. It saved many children. It gave them hope. It allowed them to use their passion to protect people instead of destroying them. I could give you so many case studies of the Morning Star program. There have been exceptional young men and women who have emerged from darkness and have contributed to making the world a better place. While I do very much regret Valentine’s involvement with Talto, I do not regret starting the program and I have no intention of terminating it.”

Alec put down his pen.

This is not what he had expected to learn from the interview.

No. No. No. She was supposed to be the Killer Whale. She was supposed to be Valentine's partner in crime. 

“Do you think Valentine used the program…The Morning Star program to launder his money?” Alec questioned. “Does that have anything to do with why you are here?”

“I…” she hesitated. “I do suspect he did. I didn’t realize that could be a possibility until I read about this kind of laundering very recently. But yes, he could have used the charity to clean his dirty money. It disgusts me to think that he would exploit my hard work and the lives of innocent children like that.”

Alec wanted to tell her that he did much worse that would disgust her enough to throw up right here. But he kept that to himself.

“But the reason I am here…” Lilith gulped. “I realized that you are still looking for Valentine’s goons…people who helped him run the circle.”

“We have rounded up everyone,” Alec informed her, as it was public knowledge at this point. “Just one more.”

“I think this person might have something to do with the program,” Lilith said, and Alec saw a bead of sweat on her forehead.

“We were informed this person had something to do with you,” Alec pointed out.

To his surprise, Lilith chuckled. “Let me guess…Seelie Queen?”

“You know her?”

“Through Valentine, yes,” she nodded. “She accompanied him for some of the galas back when he was a donor. She even made some generous donations. But I had to cut ties with her since…well, it was personal.”

“Do you mind telling me what caused this rift?” Alec probed. “It might give me more context about why she pointed her finger at you.”

“She…She started dating one of the young boys in the Morning Star program,” Lilith said, her dark eyes blazing. “He was just a boy. Only nineteen. She was in her mid-twenties back then. It was highly inappropriate. When I found out, I immediately terminated her donations. We do need the money to help the children. But that does mean donors can take any liberties they wanted.”

“Did you make a complaint?” Alec asked.

“I couldn’t,” she replied. “The boy was of age and it was consensual. I could have still pursued a case. But I didn’t for the sake of the boy. He still wanted to join law enforcement like the rest of them. And you know how society stigmatizes children like him. The poor thing had already been through enough. But I was not going to let Seelie Queen get away with it easily. I told Valentine – and the other donors. I was honest about the reason for refusing her donations. Obviously, she wasn’t very happy about that. I presume that’s why she got me involved in this mess.”

“Are you saying that Seelie Queen committed perjury just so she could get back at you for that one incident?”

“She got a life sentence, didn’t she?” Lilith asked. “A perjury offense is not going to make it any better or worse. She is the kind of woman who would take everyone down with her. I’m not at all surprised that she would try to sabotage me even now.”

“So, if it isn’t you,” Alec asked. “Who do you think is involved in the Circle? Who did Valentine trust enough to run the Circle with him?”

“I cannot say for sure,” Lilith replied. “One of the past pupils…A graduate from the program informed me that Valentine spoke about the Circle, or at leas the idea of it, to the pupils back when he used to visit and train the children himself. Since he was the donor, and one of the most precious jewels of NYPD, we allowed his personal interventions. But we weren’t aware that he was filling the minds of innocent children with such poison.”

“So, you’re saying that one of these past pupils might know more about the Circle?”

“I think so,” she nodded. “It is an untapped resource. Valentine ran the program for almost ten years. He trained and funded more than 300 adolescents. There is a chance one of them might know something.”

“Ma’am, you do realize that we have neither the time nor the resources to look into 300 people?” Alec asked.

“I’m merely presenting you with a solution, detective,” Lilith pointed out. “Whether to pursue it or not, that’s completely up to you.”

“How about the informant you mentioned?” Alec asked then. “The one who told you that-”

“No,” Lilith said sharply. “He is the reason I am here. If he felt comfortable enough to share this information with you, then he would have done so himself. But he doesn’t trust your precinct. After all, you do not have a reassuring history after what happened with Valentine himself. So, no. I wouldn’t compromise his identity.”

“How about the boy who was involved with Seelie Queen?” Alec asked instead – because he needed something. He needed a name. “If he was…If he was in a relationship with Seelie Queen, then surely he must know something?”

“Not a chance,” Lilith almost slammed her hand against the table. “Detective, I am well aware that these are no longer children. They are adults. But they were my children once. They were the children of Talto. Therefore, they will always be my responsibility. I will not be providing you with any details that might put them at risk. I think I have helped you as much as I can.”

“And we are grateful for your help,” Alec said quickly. “But it will take us months to look into these 300 people and we don’t have…we can’t afford to extend this investigation longer than necessary.”

In other words, they were under a fucking deadline. The clock was ticking.

The feds were waiting to take over. The governor was waiting for them to fuck up.

“I understand,” Lilith said solemly. “But my duty is not to your investigation. My duty is to my children. I cannot help you further than provide you with the list of 300 graduates from the Morning Star Program.”

“Oh, come on!” Alec said. “We are only going to talk to them. They will be completely safe. We will protect them.”

“As you protected Valentine?” she snapped.

“V-Valentine was a monster,” Alec stammered. “He destroyed so many li-”

“He was still a person,” Lilith pointed out. “Even if he was a criminal, he was a human being. He deserved to be treated as one. I do not condone violence of any sort. At Talto, we preach empathy and kindness - even towards those who have strayed away from goodness. You honestly expect me to trust you with my children, people I have sworn to protect, after what you people did to Valentine?”

“Listen, it’s complic-”

Their argument was interrupted when there was a knock on the door.

Jace walked in with a bedazzling smile. He was not a professional interrogator like Alec. But he was a professional charmer – especially with women.

He had been the one to get every one of them to talk – except for Jocelyn who was still not impressed with Jace.

Alec knew that if they tried hard enough, they could get a name out of Lilith. The name of a recruit who might lead them to the killer whale.

“Detective Herondale just entered the interrogation room,” Alec said out loud since it was protocol during a recorded interrogation.

“Please continue,” Jace said as he sat down, his grin still intact. “I hope my partner here didn’t bore you, Ms. Addams. I assure you this interrogation is about to get so much more fun now that I’m here.”

Alec rolled his eyes.

“Detective Herondale,” Lilith said quietly. “You’re him.”

“You’ve heard of me. Can’t say I’m surprised,” Jace winked. “Now. Let’s get to back business to def-”

“Please leave.”

Alec looked up from his notes at that. Jace seemed to be started as he was.

“I’m sorry?” Jace blinked, looking discomposed for once.

“I need you to leave,” she repeated firmly. “I need you to leave immediately.”

“Ms. Addams,” Alec interfered immediately. “My partner didn’t mean any offense. He just prefers to act like a teenager. I assure you; he is one of the best-”

“I don’t care how many medals he has got,” Lilith sneered. “I need him to leave. Right now.”

“Ma’am,” Jace said, sounding utterly horrified. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I just-”

“You have not offended me, detective,” she snapped. “I simply do not feel safe in your presence.”

“Don’t feel sa-” Jace stammered. “Have I done anything to make you feel uncomfortable?”

“Leave,” Lilith said again – sharper this time. “I will not be interrogated by a murderer.”

It was utterly silent for a moment. The only sound in the room was Jace’s heavy breathing.

No. Not again.

“Ms. Addams,” Alec said severely. “I must ask you to treat my partner with respect. If we could all be civil and move on-”

“Apologies, detective Lightwood,” she looked away. “But I simply cannot continue with…with this man. How could you even expect me to carry on when I can feel my heart pounding in my chest? What if he kills me too?”

“I,” Jace spoke, but it was mostly air. “I’m not- You can trust me.”

“Say that to Valentine’s corpse,” Lilith sneered. “I admit that he was a horrible man. But that does not give you the right to kill him. You are an office of the law for goodness sake. You are supposed to protect people, not hurt them.”

“Valentine tried to kill Jace,” Alec snapped. He realized he was no longer defending his fellow detective, but his best friend. “He was only defending himself!”

“How many cops have killed people in self-defense, detective?” Lilith almost laughed.

“Liste-”

“Besides, how could you argue that he is innocent when he literally went to prison for his crimes?”

Jace took a sharp intake of breath at that. Alec’s hand immediately reached out and covered Jace’s. His knuckles were cold, his skin pale.

As Jace’s best friend and partner, Alec had always done everything to protect him. Unlike Alec, who thought with his head, Jace often thought with his heart. When they were kids, Alec would always make sure Jace tied his shoelaces before they went to play football. When they were teenagers, Alec would make sure Jace ate something before he got drunk at parties. When they were at the academy, Alec would make sure Jace got enough sleep without staying up late training.

Whether it was making sure Jace wore his helmet or filed his paperwork on time, Alec always had his best friend’s back. Always.

But moments like these were a bitter reminder that sometimes ‘always’ had exceptions.

He had failed in protecting Jace from Valentine.

And he had failed in protecting Valentine from Jace.

Jace had always been Valentine’s special boy. The man had deemed Jace to be the academy’s best product the moment he had laid his eyes on him. Even though Alec didn’t appreciate the fact that Valentine had referred to Jace as a product, he hadn’t thought much of it back then. It was mostly because Jace had been happy – even proud – to be Valentine’s chosen one. Jace, who had always been burdened by the expectations of his family name, was more than glad to be tutored by one of the best officers in the history of the NYPD.

But as time went, it slowly became obvious that Valentine did more harm than good – not just with Jace, but with everything he touched. After Valentine’s official ‘retirement’ from the force and during the early days of the circle, Jace had been heartbroken to lose his mentor. Both of Alec and Jace had been newbies at the precinct and everyone had already started to judge him for being Valentine’s favorite.

Jace, who had always expected special treatment because of his lineage, was faced with nothing but judgement.

But it wasn’t bad – because everything said and done, Valentine had not been wrong. Jace was a really good cop. Better than everyone else.

So, people had slowly started to warm up to him. Jace acted like he had gotten over Valentine betrayal, but Alec knew that a part of him was still disappointed. When you realize the person you looked up to your entire life is a racist, misogynist, authoritative maniac, it kind of messes you up. It was not an easy thing to get over. It made you question your own worth and judgement. It made you question yourself.

Just as Jace was starting to recover, his parents were killed during a mission. The fact that they had been killed at the very hands of Valentine had not made things easy.

It did get Jace more support and sympathy from his colleagues, but that had meant nothing to him – not when he had lost two people he cared about most in the world.

After that, Jace had thrown himself in the case, begging Alec’s parents – who were the case primaries at the time – for more work. Alec remembered Jace promising his parent’s dead bodies that he would be the one to bring Valentine to justice.

And he did. Only it wasn’t the justice many were hoping for.

After the Lightwood scandal, Jace had been appointed primary of the case by Commissioner Herondale, his grandmother. It was partly due to nepotism, but mostly since no one cared more about this case than Jace. Alec still remembered the moment Jace had demanded that he would not take up the job unless Alec also got to be the primary.

Alec loved Jace just as much as he loved his own siblings. He knew what it felt like to lose one’s parents. Probably not in the same way Jace did, but he still knew. He had taken up Jace’s offer and they had taken over the case.

And everything had slowly started falling into place. Jocelyn had given them all the evidence they needed. Jace had fallen in love with Clary and started smiling again. They had identified Valentine’s Circle – and had made plans and even built their own team to dismantle it one by one.

Everything had gone perfect right up to the moment everything went to hell.

Jace, who was supposed to arrest and detain Valentine, had almost been killed. There was still a bullet graze on his shoulder from the attempt, something Alec wished he could erase away.

Jace, in order to protect himself, had killed Valentine.

While on surface it might have seemed like an obvious attempt of self-defense, the court had not seen it that way at all. According to the prosecutor at the time, who had not been as kind or as honest as Magnus, had argued that Valentine’s death was not self-defense but deliberate murder and an act of revenge.

Alec knew back then, and he knew now, that it was never intentional. Yes, the prosecutor was right about many things.

Jace had a close relationship with Valentine. Jace had been heartbroken by Valentine’s betrayal. Jace was destroyed by his parent’s death. Jace had made a vow to bring Valentine to justice.

And Jace hated Valentine for everything he had done to him.

The prosecutor had been right about all of this. But she was wrong about one thing.

Jace was not a murderer.

He was the kind of person who climbed a 11 feet tree to return a baby bird to its tree house. He was the kind of person who saw Clary and decided she deserved love and protection, not judgement and hatred. He was the kind of person who promised to always be there for his best friend, when Alec had been rejected by his parents.

"It's not weird, right?" Alec had asked, after coming out to Jace in the academy. "I mean, you can bunk with someone else if it's weird."

"Why would it be weird?" Jace had blinked. "Because of your snoring?"

"No!" Alec had protested. 

"Farting?"

"Dude!"

"Masturbating?"

"JACE!!"

"It's not weird," Jace had grinned. "Regardless of your sexuality, you will always be my bunk bro."

"Thanks, Jace," Alec had smiled. "But please don't ever call me that again. 

"You got it, bunk bro," Jace had pulled an exasperated but emotional Alec into a hug. 

Lilith was wrong. 

Jace was a good man. Most importantly, he was not a murderer.

As a cop, Alec had always known that the law was not fair. He had known that it is hard. He had known that it can even be cruel sometimes.

But he had never realized how horrible the law could be until it sent this good man to prison.

To this day, it was the worst day of Alec’s life. He could remember Jace trying to smile – for him, for clary – before he was taken away.

He still remembered how Jace tried not to cry every time Alec visited him.

The whole thing had been horrible. It was just plain horrible. For Alec, for Jace, for Clary – for everyone who had been involved.

It was not the sort of thing you got over with time. It was the sort of thing you learned to live with – no matter how much it hurt.

Jace had gotten out after a couple of months of course.

It was mostly due to Magnus – but partly due to The Incident.

Alec didn’t want to think about it. Not right now.

The worst thing, according to Jace and Alec couldn’t really disagree – had been the fact that Jace killed Valentine or went to prison or had to go through The Incident.

The worst thing was the fact that Jace was _still_ bullied and ridiculed and judged for all of it. Despite how hard he tried, there was something that made him remember. There was something that never let him forget.

And today, that something was Lilith Addams.

“Ms. Addams,” Alec said now. “This interview is pivotal for our investigation. But I’m afraid I have no choice but to terminate it if you continue to speak this way.”

“Why? Am I making your partner angry?” Lilith demanded. “Is he going to stab me to death too?”

Jace got up from the chair so quickly that Alec was almost startled. He hastily wiped his eyes with his fists because he hated when Alec saw him cry. And Alec had only seen him cry at his parent’s funeral.

“You continue the interview, Alec,” Jace said, his voice cracking with every word. “I’m going home.”

“Going home to Valentine’s daughter?” Lilith muttered. “You really are one messed up piece o-”

“Mrs. Addams!” Alec banged his fist on the table. “That is enough.”

Jace didn’t say another word. But Alec saw his hands shaking as he pulled the door open.

“Interview terminated at 8.52,” Alec said as he pushed the button. He texted Lydia quickly explaining the emergency. 

“But there is much to disc-”

“Captain Branwell will take it from here,” Alec informed her.

The interview was important. Lilith was important. The information she had to share was important. But not more than Jace.

He opened the door and closed it briefly.

“Ms, Addams. Stigma and prejudice can truly wreck a person’s life - especially someone who has been through years of trauma,” Alec pointed out. “If you work with juvenile delinquents, then you should know that.”

"But he killed someone!" She gaped. "How is he different from Valentine?"

"Because Jace was a young boy when Valentined started grooming him," Alec tried not to yell. "You work with young boys with troubled pasts. You should understand-"

"My boys have never killed anyone," she said, a little proudly. The bar was truly on the ground these days. 

"Well, for their sake, I hope they never have to," Alec replied. "And if they do kill someone, I pray you will be react better than you did moments ago."

"Detec-"

"So much for your empathy and kindness," Alec said in disappointed before leaving the room. 

He was there sure that she had something to say in response, but he didn’t have time for that. He ran towards Jace’s desk but he wasn’t there.

“Alec, I need to talk to you about my fa-” Magnus pulled him by his jacket.

“Not now,” Alec shrugged him off and ran towards the elevator.

He knew exactly where Jace would be.

“I knew you would be hiding out in the evidence room,” Alec chuckled nervously as he spotted Jace sitting on the floor, hiding his head between his arms.

“There is a lot of cocaine here,” Jace pointed out, without look up.

“Oh please,” Alec rolled his eyes. “I know you come here for the old book smell, you weirdo.”

“They should really make a perfume out of that,” Jace said, still not look up. “That shit smells good.”

Alec slowly walked over to his partner and sat down on the floor.

“You know what she said isn’t true, right?” Alec asked him. “She wasn’t here. What does she know?”

“She is one of the most popular philanthropists in England,” Jace pointed out. “I’d say she knows a great deal.”

“She could also be mob boss who was involved with Valentine,” Alec pointed out.

Jace looked up that.

“Is she?” he asked. “I know you only spoke for a bit. But I trust your judgement. Do you think she is the one we are looking for?”

Alec sighed.

“No,” he replied. “I don’t think she is. I don’t think she even knows who we are looking for. But the information she provided…It might help. We have a lot of work to do.”

“Yay,” Jace cheered in a depressed tone and buried his head again. "I really thought it would be over today."

 _Me too_ , Alec wanted to say.

"It will be over soon," Alec said instead. "I promise."

He didn't know who he was trying to convince here. 

"It better," Jace muttered. "The case will be the death of me. Oh wait-"

“Hey,” Alec interrupted softly. “Do you want me to say it?”

“Say what?” Jace asked, his voice muffled.

“You know what.”

Jace was quiet.

“Jace Herondale, you are not a murderer,” Alec said. “You are a victim.”

Jace looked up again.

“Say it with me, Jace,” Alec asked. “You are not a murderer. You are a victim.”

Jace was quiet again and Alec nudged him in the elbow.

“I’m not a murderer,” Jace repeated faintly. “I’m a victim.”

“Say it again.”

“I’m not a murderer. I’m a victim.”

When Jace had started going for court mandated therapy – which had taken a lot of effort and persuasion – Alec had started going for support groups. If going to prison had been bad, The Incident had made it all worse. Alec had wanted to make it better for his partner, his brother. He hadn’t known how. It was Magnus who had suggested that he should go for support groups to learn how he can help Jace to cope.

One of the most important lessons he had learned from the support groups is that survivors of violence often tend to blame themselves for what happened. This was actually a coping mechanism that many used in order to be prepared for the victim blaming and stigma that they might face from society. Alec had learned that Jace had started to do the same. He had started to blame himself for what had transpired with Valentine, he had blamed himself for what happened to his parents and most importantly, he had blamed himself for The Incident.

Alec did understand that making himself the bad guy did make Jace feel less vulnerable. But his support group had taught him that these thoughts can be easily internalized. If Jace truly believed he deserved this trauma and pain, then he wouldn’t fight back. So, it was Alec’s and the duty of other loved ones, to keep reminding him.

It was their duty to keep reminding him that he was a victim. Not the bad guy. 

“There you go,” Alec said now. “Dr. Carstairs will be proud of you.”

Jace had come a long way since The Incident. He had restricted himself to desk duty. He had taken time to heal – his body and his mind. He had been following this weekly therapy sessions without fail.

Alec didn’t know if he could survive something like that. But he knew if anyone could, it was Jace.

“It’s never going to go away, is it?” Jace asked now. “Every time I try to forget and move on, someone will remind me. I will not get over it.”

“I don’t think it’s something you can get over, Jace,” Alec told him gently. “You need to learn to live with it.”

“I don’t think I can, Alec,” Jace said quietly. “I don’t think I’m strong enough.”

It made Alec want to cry. But Alec noticed that Jace wasn’t crying. Jace rarely ever cried in front of him. Because when Jace cried, Alec followed. He knew Jace wanted to cry now. But he was being strong. He was being strong for Alec.

“You’re one of the strongest people I know,” Alec said.

“You would be too if you just work out like I tell you to,” Jace rolled his glistening eyes.

“I didn’t mean here,” Alec pointed at Jace’s arms. “I mean here.”

Jace looked up to see Alec pointing at his heart.

“My core?” Jace asked. “Well, if you do some planks every da-”

“Your heart, you dumbass!"

Jace often resorted to humor when he didn’t want to talk about his feelings. But Alec knew, it only meant he was hurting. He wanted to help. It really sucked sometimes when you wanted to help someone do badly but didn't know how. 

His support group had taught him that at moments like this there is only one thing a person can do. 

“I don’t know, Jace. I don’t know if you will learn to live with something like this,” Alec told his partner. “But I know one thing.”

Jace looked up again.

“You don’t have to do this alone,” Alec smiled, just a little. “Whatever you need to make this easier, I’m right here.”

Jace smiled, just a little too.

“Besides,” Alec pointed out. “Remember when Simon’s apartment got flooded and he bunked in your room for a whole month? If you learned to live with that, then you can learn to live with this too.”

A tiny chuckle escaped Jace’s lips. Alec wanted to pump his fist in the air.

“Thank you,” Jace said. “For all of it.”

“Anytime,” Alec ruffled Jace’s hair – or tried to. The other man always dodged his attempts. Every damn time.

“So, this whole 'I’m here to make it easier' business,” Jace pointed out as he got off the floor and held his hand out for Alec. “Does that mean you will do my pending paperwork?”

“I knew you will exploit my kindness,” Alec groaned. 

“Please,” Jace rolled his eyes. “I know you are going to enjoy it.”

“I don’t get it,” Alec shrugged. “Why don’t you people enjoy paperwork? It’s like an exam. But you know all the answers! How awesome is that?”

“And you call me the weirdo,” Jace chuckled. “Are you going to interview Lilith again?”

“Nah, Lydia got it handled,” Alec said. “I think you and I deserve a break. Drinks on me?”

“My man,” Jace punched him on the shoulder. “Should we get Magnus too?”

“I don’t…I don’t think he should drink now,” Alec replied awkwardly.

“Why not?” Jace raised an eyebrow.

 _Because I’m worried about him_ , Alec wanted to say. _Because he almost drowned himself in alcohol yesterday._

“Because he is still in meds,” Alec lied, but not entirely.

“Fine, then he can pay for our drinks,” Jace grinned as they walked towards the bullpen.

“Jace, you can’t jus-”

“Oh, come on!” Jace said. “He is the governor’s son! He can afford a couple of drinks.”

“He is a civil servant just like the rest of us,” Alec pointed out, even though he now knew Magnus was richer than the entire precinct combined. “Besides, Magnus is not…not close with his father.”

“Are you sure about that?” Jace asked, his voice slightly worried.

Alec looked up that with concern, only to find Magnus talking to his father – and Lilith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Come find me on tumblr @khaleesiofalicante
> 
> Fun fact: Officers should never interrogate suspects who’re obviously intoxicated, suffering from withdrawal, severely injured, suffering from mental illness, or extremely upset. (HOLLYWOOD HAS BEEN LYING TO US THEN?????)


	8. Philando Castille

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tell me about Alec,” Jace said then.
> 
> “What about him?”
> 
> “You two have been picking fights over everything. Tell me what’s wrong. I know you wanna dish,” Jace punched him on the shoulder. “Spill the tea, son!”
> 
> “You’ve been talking to Aline way too much,” Magnus chuckled.
> 
> “And you are changing the subject,” Jace pointed out, that annoyingly observant bastard. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
> 
> “Who said anything was wrong?”
> 
> “Magnus, subtlety is not your strong suit,” Jace pointed out. “And Alec is one passive aggressive son of a bitch.”
> 
> Confused Lawyers, Frustrated Cops, Annoyed Boyfriends and Other Things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took forever! Phew!
> 
> Happy reading, suckers! :)

Magnus followed Jace down the stairs. Jace never used the elevator. Magnus wanted to complain. But not right now. He had more important things to think about. They had to find out about Lilith. They had to know if she was it or not.

“You wanna bet?” Jace asked as he took two stairs at a time. He wasn’t hyped or anything. That’s just how he always climbed up and down the stairs.

“Bet on what?”

“Whether Lilith is the killer whale or not,” Jace said. “I’m with Alec.”

“Of course you would take his side,” Magnus muttered.

“Her record is too clean, Magnus,” he insisted.

“So what? Now it’s wrong to be a decent person?” Magnus inquired.

“You know what I mean,” Jace waved him off. “Wanna bet? How about 100 bucks?”

“Bet on this?” Magnus asked. “Seriously?”

“What do I have to lose?”

“Your partnership with Alec!” Magnus reminded him with exasperation. “The case! Everything!”

“You are no fun!” Jace complained.

They walked towards the desk of a blonde policewoman who was furiously typing.

“Hey, Penny!” Jace grinned at her. “I need a quick favor.”

“You only remember me when you need favors,” the woman complained, but with a grin of her own.

“I still remember you though,” Jace countered with a wink. “Those blue eyes are hard to forget.”

Magnus rolled his eyes. He used to flirt his way to get stuff done too. But since Alec, it had become impossible to flirt with anyone – even as a joke.

The woman smiled coyly. “Alright. What do you need?”

Jace filled her in about the flight details and she immediately started furiously typing on her computer again.

“Gimme five,” she said without looking away from the monitor. “I might have to make a couple of calls.”

Jace said something that did make her look away with a coy smile.

“I’m gonna have to avoid the third floor for the next month now,” Jace mumbled as he walked back to join Magnus. “You better appreciate this.”

“I’m sure there are other ways you could have gotten this info,” Magnus mumbled back.

“Not with this kind of pressure,” Jace replied. “Penny has a contact at JFK. That’s the quickest way of finding out about Lilith’s flight details.”

“Right,” Magnus said.

“Third floor doesn’t pull favors,” Jace informed him. “And our squad is not exactly popular with everyone at the moment as you might know. So, I gotta do what I gotta do.”

“Sure,” Magnus shrugged.

“Magnus,” Jace’s voice was serious now. “You know I would never...You know I love Clary more than anything, right?”

Magnus felt ashamed in that moment. The fact that Jace loved Clary was an undeniable truth. It was just like how the sun rose in the east every morning. It will never change. It was hard to imagine it changing at any point in time.

“I’m sorry,” Magnus said. “I know you do. I just…I’m being a dick. Here you are doing me a favor and trying to prove my theory and I’m just-”

“It’s okay, man,” Jace patted him on the shoulder. “You’re stressed. I get it. Lilith is upstairs right now. This is a groundbreaking moment for us.”

“Or it could be nothing,” Magnus pointed out.

“Why do you think she is innocent?” Jace asked incredulously. “Every bit of evidence we have suggests tha-”

“Every bit of evidence we have is circumstantial,” Magnus cut him off. “Besides, I’m not saying she is innocent. I just don’t think she is the killer whale.”

“Then who could it possibly be?” Jace asked. “There is literally no one on our radar, Magnus!”

“That’s exactly where a mob boss would be,” Magnus explained. “They would be under the radar.”

“Lilith was pretty under the radar too,” Jace reasoned. “We could find nothing on her, remember?”

“I just can’t help but think that maybe we are too desperate to finish this case. Maybe we want Lilith to be the killer whale so we can be done with all of this.”

“Aren’t you?” Jace asked.

“Aren’t I what?”

“Desperate?” Jace said. “Don’t you want to be done with all of this?”

It was the exact question Alec had asked him earlier. But this wasn’t accusatory. Jace was clearly just curious.

“I do, Jace,” Magnus said. “But I want to be done with this the right way. No loose ends. I don’t want Valentine’s ghosts chasing me twenty years from now.”

“Trust me, nobody wants that,” Jace mumbled.

Magnus felt shitty again. He knew Valentine was a touchy subject for Jace after everything he had been through. It wasn’t easy for him to talk about Valentine as it was Magnus or Alec. Valentine wasn’t just a criminal for Jace – he had been the man’s mentor. He had been like a second father to him. And Valentine had died by his hands. 

“I’m sorry,” Magnus said, hoping Jace would understand. “Not my best day.”

“Welcome to our precinct,” Jace chuckled. “Oh by the way, Jace Delivery at your service.”

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded piece of familiar yellow paper.

Magnus took it from him and unfolded it.

**“I miss your hands. I love how they look for mine and just find their way to me. Like magnets. How do they do that? I love you, Magnet Bane.”**

Despite everything that was going on, a giggle escaped his lips. Magnus carefully folded the paper again, kissed it and put it into his pocket.

Jace smiled. “Y’all cute.”

“When did he even have time to write and give that to you?” Magnus asked, trying to figure it out.

Jace only shrugged. “He always makes time for you.”

Magnus rolled his eyes.

“Tell me about Alec,” Jace said then.

“What about him?”

“You two have been picking fights over everything. Tell me what’s wrong. I know you wanna dish,” Jace punched him on the shoulder. “Spill the tea, son!”

“You’ve been talking to Aline way too much,” Magnus chuckled.

“And you are changing the subject,” Jace pointed out, that annoyingly observant bastard. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Who said anything was wrong?”

“Magnus, subtlety is not your strong suit,” Jace pointed out. “And Alec is one passive aggressive son of a bitch.”

Magnus chuckled dryly. “He is that.”

“So, tell me,” Jace said. “What’s up with you two?”

“There is nothing to say.”

“Oh, come on, man!”

His phone started buzzing in his pocket. Magnus took it out, hoping it would be Alec. But he knew Alec was probably in the interrogation room right now.

He checked the screen.

No. Not right now.

“Who was it?” Jace asked as Magnus declined the call and put it in his pocket.

“Just my-”

It started buzzing again.

Magnus checked the screen, sighed and declined once more.

“You can take it if you want,” Jace shrugged. “It might take us a minute or so to get the deets from Penny.”

“I’d rather not,” Magnus muttered.

Buzzing. Again.

“Why don’t you just turn it off?” Jace asked.

“I’m not allowed to,” Magnus told him.

“Not allowed to?” Jace raised an eyebrow. “Under whose orders? Luke?”

“Alec,” Magnus rolled his eyes.

He still remembered the day when he had turned off his phone for a couple of hours to focus on a case and Alec had almost lost his mind.

“I thought someone kidnapped you!”

“Why would anyone kidnap me?” Magnus had asked in an incredulous tone.

Of course, he had once been kidnapped when he was in high school because his father had been handling a dangerous case. It had turned into a whole thing and Magnus had got caught in the middle of it. But Alec didn’t have to know that.

“I don’t know, Magnus,” Alec had sighed. “I don’t know why but when it comes to you my mind just…It just jumps to the worst conclusions.”

A habit that had not changed at all in the last couple of years.

Magnus had put his arms around Alec’s neck and kissed him on the nose. “Why don’t you just ask your mind to calm the fuck down?”

“I’d have better luck telling Jace to give up his gym membership,” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Yikes,” Magnus had chuckled. “Well, I’m sorry I scared you. I didn’t mean to.”

“I thought you were hurt,” Alec had said quietly. “Or worse.”

“I’m okay, Alexander,” Magnus had reassured him. “I’m right here.”

“Can you not turn off your phone again? Just put it on silent or something?” Alec had asked, all hazel eyes and soft pouts. “For me?”

“Okay. For you,” Magnus had agreed, because he had always been a sucker for Alexander Lightwood.

But the insistent buzzing in his jacket pocket right now made him reconsider his promise to Alec.

“Do you want me to answer it?” Jace asked. “I can say you are busy.”

Magnus was oddly touched by that.

“It’s my dad,” he said.

“The governor?”

Magnus nodded.

“Okay, I take back my offer,” Jace put his hands up. “I don’t want to talk to that man.”

“Are you scared of him?” Magnus chuckled.

“He is weirdly intimidating,” Jace pointed out. “Like he knows all my secrets or something.”

Magnus couldn’t agree more. He had always felt vulnerable in front of his father. Like he was stripped of his layer of anonymity and safety. Every time he saw his father, Magnus was reminded of who he was.

He was Asmodeus Edom’s son.

And that had never been an easy thing to be.

The phone started buzzing again.

Magnus rubbed his face in frustration and walked away from Jace.

“I’m busy,” he said.

“Well, it’s nice to hear from you too,” his father said from the other end.

“What is it?” Magnus asked, hoping he would notice the sense of urgency in his voice. “I’m working. I can’t talk right now.”

“I assume you are at the precinct?” he asked. “With…him?”

“How do you know where I am?”

“I know you sometimes forget that I’m your father, Magnus.” the man chuckled dryly. “But have you forgotten I’m the governor too?”

Magnus rolled his eyes, knowing the other man couldn’t see him.

“I know what’s going on there. So, tell me this,” he said seriously now. “What on earth are those jesters doing with Lilith Addams?”

Magnus took in a sharp breath. He knew. He knew about Lilith. He knew she was here.

“Well, I assume you know why she is here,” Magnus tried to play it cool. “They think she is the killer whale.”

“Ms. Addams is one of London’s most renowned philanthropists,” his father hissed. “Interrogating her on a trafficking case? This is going to be a PR nightmare!”

“Could you stop thinking about yourself for five minutes?” Magnus asked. “All you care about is your bloody reelection and-”

“This isn’t just about me,” his father interrupted. “This is about you – and that precious boyfriend of yours.”

“What about Alec?” Magnus asked, the reflex to protect Alec acting up almost immediately.

“Magnus, Lilith isn't who they think she is. You must trust me on this. She is a good person. So, if your boyfriend arrests her, do you know what will happen?”

“Yes, I do know. Alec and Jace will get split up. Feds will take over the case,” Magnus parroted the answer. “Wasn’t that your idea?”

“Of course, it was!” his father sighed. “I’ve been having your back all this time!”

“My back?” Magnus laughed. “What does this have to do with me? It’s about your campai-”

“Not everything is about my campaign, Magnus,” his father said softly. “Whether I win or lose, my time is coming to an end. But yours…It’s barely beginning, son. I need to make sure you’ll get everything you deserve.”

“I-” Magnus stuttered, caught completely off-guard.

“You have been working on this case for give years,” his father said. “You know that’s a make or break. If this goes south, if Lilith decides to sue the precinct or worse, you’re going to be associated with this nightmare as well. How do you think that would look on your judgeship applications?”

Magnus was quiet. He hadn’t thought about that at all.

Unlike Alec, who always walked around with a five-year plan, Magnus preferred to live in a moment. For the last five years, his plan had been to finish this case. He worked as hard as he could every day and did his absolute best. That’s all he cared about.

Of course, he wanted to be a judge one day. But he hadn’t stopped to think how everything that was happening right now could affect that possibility. ‘

How could he have been so stupid?

“I’ve been looking out for you, Magnus,” his father said softly.

“Why would you do that?” Magnus asked quietly.

“Because I want to exploit your judgeship and make all my evils plans come true so I can become the emperor supreme of New York.”

Magnus blinked.

“Because I love you, you idiot child,” his father chuckled. “Because you are my son. Because I am your father. It’s what parents do, Magnus. They look out for their children.”

Magnus was quiet.

“I’ve always looked out for you, haven’t I, Magnus?” his father asked.

That much was true. Magnus wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for his father. He couldn’t fathom where he would be if it wasn’t for him.

“You have,” Magnus answered quietly.

“Then why would I stop now?” he asked.

Magnus didn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t know how he was supposed to feel. Grateful? Relieved? Worried?

But he just felt confused – as he always did with his father.

“Hey,” Jace jogged up to him with a piece of paper. “Penny just got back. I’m sorry, man. But Alec was right. Lilith took a private jet here. That’s how she made it to New York on time. And the call was made from her personal cell. It’s her. She is connected to this case. It must be her.”

No. It isn’t. Magnus just couldn’t shake off that feeling. He couldn’t.

“Now I’m coming over there and handling this mess myself,” his father said on the phone.

“Papa, no!” he said. “Alec can handle this.”

“I think he had handled quite enough,” his father said. “Remember, Magnus, Lilith is innocent. I will be there soon. Stay there.”

The line got disconnected and Magnus cursed softly.

“I gotta go join Alec now,” Jace informed. “Will you be okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be okay,” Magnus nodded. “Thanks, Jace.”

Jace patted him on the shoulder and ran up the stairs to interview Lilith – who was apparently the killer whale according to everyone except Magnus - and his father. 

The fact that he was on the same side as his father...that wasn't a good sign. He was confused now more than ever.

If Alec’s squad identified Lilith as the killer whale – it means the real killer whale would still be out there.

But if they didn’t identify Lilith…If she gets away, then Alec and his squad had bigger things to worry about.

This was the opposite of a win-win. It felt like they were going to lose either way. This was premeditated. Someone had planned this just to make sure they wouldn’t get to win. They had taken away all their changes. This was the master plan of a killer whale.

And Magnus was pretty sure Lilith was merely a pawn.

 _Why do you have to make everything complicated_ , the voice inside his head said. _Why can’t you stop fixating on this?_

Magnus tried to shut it down.

 _Maybe Alec was right. Maybe you don’t want to close this case and move on_ , the voice whispered. _Maybe deep down you know he deserves better than a fuck up like you._

Magnus closed his eyes tightly. Not now. Not now. He could see the abyss in the darkness, waiting to swallow him up as it had before.

Magnus pictured Alec and tried to bring himself back to the present.

Focus on the case, he told himself. Focus on Lilith.

Catarina had told him that when it felt like things were getting out of control, he needed to focus on one thing at a time.

“Just pick one thing,” she had told him. “Anything. Just pick one thing and focus on finishing that task. It could be cleaning your room. Or watering the plants. Reading a book.”

“Or going shopping?” Magnus had grinned. "Pranking Raphael?"

“Anything,” Catarina had smiled. “When it feels like the world is spinning out of control, the easiest thing to do is to take it back. You need to assume control to make yourself realize that you are okay. Take a couple of deep breaths and focus on one simple task. Just one. When things get overwhelming, just take it one at a time. Don’t forget that, Magnus.”

One task, he reminded himself. Just one at a time.

Okay. He found himself a task.

He had to convince Alec that Lilith might not be the killer whale.

Okay. He had a task. Now how was he going to do it?

Magnus closed his eyes and tried to think. The noises of the precinct drowned him in a world of pressure and chaos. He could do this. He would never admit this, but Magnus got off on pressure. It was partly why he had picked his career. The adrenaline kept him alive. 

Think, Magnus! Think!

The problem with the precinct was everyone was already biased towards Lilith. They all thought they were the killer whale because they had been led to believe that – by Seelie Queen. By themselves. By their own desperation.

He needed to talk to someone outside of the precinct. But someone who knew Lilith.

Bingo!

“Tell me everything you know about Lilith Addams,” Magnus said into the phone.

“Um. Hi,” Catarina chuckled.

“You can’t miss anything out. No detail is too small. Tell me everything,” Magnus informed her. “And yes, hi!”

“You’re in one of those moods,” Catarina pointed out.

“Zones,” Magnus corrected. “I’m in the zone. But if I stay here any longer, I will lose my mind. So, help me figure this out. Lilith Addams.”

“Hmm. Let’s see. I don’t know much about her. But I’ve seen her in some of our charity auctions. She had an impressive resume. And she has this cool goth look that’s also kinda classy.”

“I’m not trying to recruit her for a beauty pageant, Catarina,” Magnus told his friend. “I’m trying to figure out if she is Valentine’s right hand or not.”

Catarina laughed. “Her? Valentine’s righthand? Yeah right. Next you’ll say Raphael is my salsa dancing partner.”

“Raphael knows salsa?” Magnus asked, momentarily distracted. It was too hard to ignore.

“Magnus, I know I’m not a detective or lawyer or whatever. But I just can’t picture Ms. Addams as a trafficker. She literally dedicated her entire life to saving children. I mean, come on!”

Magnus was quiet.

“The woman never even got married for god’s sake. Talk about commitment. Why would you even think she has anything to do with Valentine?”

“All the clues su-”

“People are more than just clues, Magnus,” Catarina said. “Remember what happened with Jace. All the clues said he was guilty of Valentine’s murder. He went to prison for that. Because of the clues. Because people were wrong.”

“But-”

“Yes, Valentine probably gave her a ton of money and she probably took it,” Catarina carried on. “But does that make her guilty? I mean, what does guilty by association even mean?”

“It means that the per-”

“I don’t want you to lecture me,” she interrupted. “I just want you to be careful.”

“Do you really think she is innocent?” Magnus asked.

“What I think is irrelevant,” Catarina pointed out. “This is your call. I get that your clues our important. But don’t forget to trust your gut. That’s what got you here, remember. That’s what got Jace out. Always trust your gut.”

_Trust your gut._

Okay. He can do that.

“Thanks, Catarina,” Magnus smiled. “I owe you one.”

“Actually, you owe me 32,” Catarina corrected him. “And yes, I’m keeping score.”

Magnus put his phone back into his pocket and ran up the stairs – two steps at a time.

Alec and Jace were nowhere to be seen, which meant they were in the interrogation room. Magnus was wondering whether to text Alec when the door slammed open and Jace came out of it, looking concerningly pale.

“Are you okay?” Helen asked, looking up from Underhill’s screen, where the rest of the squad was still gathered.

“I’m fine,” Jace shrugged her off and kept walking away.

“Should I go check on him?” Aline asked.

“He went to the evidence room,” Helen pointed out. “You know what that means.”

“Shit,” Underhill said.

“Let’s give him some space, babe,” Helen told her wife. “I don’t think he wants to talk or else he wouldn’t have gone there.”

Magnus was about to go to there and check on Jace himself when his phone buzzed again.

_I’m almost the precinct. Don’t leave till I get there._

Magnus sighed. This was not going to go well. His father was going to make everything worse – especially for Alec. He had to warn his boyfriend. Maybe a quick text. Or he could just talk to Lydia.

Suddenly the door banged open again, but this time Alec walked out. He didn’t look pale.

But he looked furious.

Magnus pulled him by the jacket. “Alec, I need to talk to you about my fa-”

“Not now,” Alec pushed him away and kept walking towards the evidence room.

The door of the interrogation room opened again and Lilith came out this time and walked directly into the Captain’s office.

“Do you know what happened?” he asked Underhill.

“Definitely something bad,” Underhill winced.

Magnus thought so too. What had Lilith had said so bad that Jace had to walk away? What had she done to make Alec so angry?

“I hope they didn’t piss her off,” Helen said quietly. “If she so much as makes a complaint…The governor will split the two of them up.”

“Don’t forget about the feds,” Underhill reminded her.

“Don’t remind me,” Aline said, burying herself in caffeine.

Magnus was about to reassure them that everything was going to be okay when his father walked into the precinct as the same time as Lilith came out of Lydia’s room.

“Lilith!” his father said with open arms.

“Asmodeus!” she gasped and pulled him into a bear hug. “Goodness, how long has it been?”

“Too long,” his father said. “You were coming to New York and you didn’t think to call me? I would have arranged for someone to pick you up at the airport. Where are you staying? You simply cannot stay at a hote-”

“Hey, it’s alright,” Lilith reassured him. “It was all last-minute planning. I didn’t want to bother you.”

“I am terribly sorry you got caught up in this nightmare,” his father sounded genuinely apologetic. “You shouldn’t have come here at all. I’m going to have words with Captain Branwell.”

“It’s alright,” she smiled. “I want to come here. I wanted to help in any way that I can.”

“You didn’t have to,” his father said.

“I did,” she shook her head. “For the kids.”

His father said. “Bless your heart. Well, speaking of kids…Magnus, get over here.”

When Magnus simply blinked at the command, his father pulled him by the arm.

“Magnus!” Lilith said in wonder. “Oh my god! You’ve grown so much. Last I saw you, you were just a college kid had with a terrible nose piercing.”

“I might have sent her pictures,” his father said awkwardly.

“I’m sorry,” Magnus remembered his manners. “Do we know each other?”

“Of course we do, silly! No wonder I kept thinking of you even after that gala all those years ago. I knew I recognized that face,” Lilith pointed out. “You look exactly like your father!”

Behind him, Aline choked on her coffee. Helen started to violently pat her on the back.

“Was anyone going to tell me Magnus is the governor’s son or was I supposed to find that out myself?” Underhill whispered, but not too softly.

“You see, Magnus, Lilith is your godmother,” his father said.

Aline choked again.

“My what now?”

“Unofficial godmother,” Lilith said, looking a little embarrassed. “I’ve been wanting to meet you forever, Magnus!”

“She couldn’t come meet you at the house because...well, you moved out,” his father said, his tone rather depressed. “But I was hoping you would stay with her when you were in London. But you were adamant about staying in the dorms with that Ragnor fell boy.”

“I wish I could have visited you,” Lilith informed with regretfully. “But I was travelling in South America at the time.”

“Ah, yes. The Southern Talto Initiative,” his father nodded. “It’s going well, I hope?”

“It’s marvelous!” Lilith gushed.

They starting chatting then, with Magnus’ head going back and forth like he was watching a tennis match. His father and Lilith kept talking about their childhood, how they were friends from school, and how she had been the one who had convinced his father to go to Magnus in Indonesia.

“You see, Magnus,” his father said quietly. “If it wasn’t for Lilith, I never would have found you.”

Magnus couldn’t help but gasp a little.

“Oh, sweetie! I’m just glad it all worked out,” she just smiled. “I’m so glad this big buffoon listened to me and rescued you from that awful place.”

“Why did you tell him to do that?” he asked her.

She didn’t know him. She didn’t owe him anything at all. Yet she was the reason Magnus’ life had changed completely.

“Because every child deserves a home, Magnus,” she gently caressed his cheek. “I’m glad you found yours.”

He couldn’t believe it. He had a godmother. He had a family.

He could distantly recall his father asking him to stay with some relative when he was in London for law school. But he hadn’t known. He hadn’t known any of this.

Magnus knew they were only distantly related. But when he looked at Lilith, he saw his father’s same stubborn jaw. But he couldn’t help but seeing a bit more. Even after all these years, being in the presence of Lilith, felt like being next to his mother. Something about her made him miss his mother very much.

“I-” Magnus started to say.

At that moment, someone - very - loudly cleared their throat.

“Alexander,” Magnus returned to the present. “This is…um…”

“I need to talk to you,” Alec said blandly. “Now.”

“Can’t you see we are in the middle of something?” his father rolled his eyes. “Honestly, the manners of this one. Magnus, you could reall-”

“Magnus can go,” Lilith interrupted, her eyes travelling to Jace. “I must leave anyway. It’s getting rather late.”

“But you just met Magnus!” his father complained.

“What if we all have brunch tomorrow?” Lilith asked and Magnus heard Alec snort. “I could come to your place. Magnus could tell me all about himself then.”

“Sounds like a plan,” his father grinned. “I could drop you to your hotel-”

“I rented a car,” Lilith answered. “It’s downstairs. Don’t worry about it.”

“We might need you to come back,” Alec announced. “This interrogation is not over.”

“This interrogation never should have taken place in the first place,” Magnus’ father thundered. “Do you have any idea who she is?”

“Someone I’ll be keeping my eye on,” Alec replied, protectively standing in front of Jace. “I know you came here of your own accord, Ms. Addams. But I think it would be best if you don’t leave the city until we say so.”

“What authority do you have to order her around?” his father demanded. “You better mind yourself, detective. Or else, th-”

“Asmodeus,” Lilith interrupted gently. “It’s alright. Like I said, I want to help. I don’t mind staying back. It means I will have more time to spend with Magnus.”

Magnus could only blink – and also avoid Alec’s murderous glare.

“I will cooperate with your investigation, detective,” Lilith told Alec and then pointed at Jace. “Just make sure that one stays out of my way. I don’t want him anywhere near me.”

Jace flinched at that. Magnus had never really seen Jace flinch before.

“Magnus, dear,” she turned to him now. “Would you walk me to my car?”

“Magnus,” Alec said, gently shaking his head.

“Magnus,” his father said, pulling him closer and whispering in his ear. “Remember who she is. Remember where you would be without her.”

Magnus closed his eyes and offered Lilith his arm. They walked together, passing Alec and his betrayed face.

As they went down the elevator, Lilith kept firing question after question – although she didn’t bother to wait for an answer.

“Do you like Broadway? Oh, I bet you do. Have you seen Hamilton? I’m sure you have. Wasn’t it the most amazing thing you’ve seen? What was your favorite number? Don’t tell me! Let me guess! Was it…Satisfied??”

Magnus was quietly, trying to take all of it in. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to do. He felt like an eleven-year-old boy all over again.

“I’m sorry I keep blabbering,” Lilith chuckled nervously.

“I’m sorry I tried to get you arrested,” Magnus blurted out.

Lilith only laughed; her face became even more radiant when she did.

“I’m so proud of you, Magnus,” Lilith took his hand. “Your father told me what you do”

“And what’s that?”

“You protect people, don’t you?” she asked. “It’s what I do too. We protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

Magnus didn’t know what to say to that either. How? How could she possibly be the killer whale?

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she asked.

What would Alec say about that?

“I don’t know,” Magnus said quietly. “I don’t know if I can-”

“Hey, it’s alright,” she told him. “I get it. This is all…new. It’s too soon, isn’t it? You must feel so overwhelmed. It’s alright, sweetie. You take your time. I’m happy to have breakfast when you’re ready.”

She laid a quick kiss on his cheek and walked away.

“Aunt Lilith,” the words escaped his mouth and she looked back. “Why did you tell my dad to find me?”

“I told you. Every child-”

“Why?” Magnus asked again.

She chuckled nervously. “Ever the lawyer, I see. Your parents…I don’t know how much you know, but they dated very briefly. Your father met her when we were in Indonesia for a vacation. I always liked her, you know? She was…kind. The kind of woman you wanted to be your mom.”

Magnus bit his lips, trying to hold all the emotions in his heart between his lips and two front teeth.

“I never approved of Asmodeus’ decision when he broke up with your mother. I was furious when I found out he washed his hands off you as well. As you know…I have a soft spot for children. But I couldn’t force him. He can’t be your father if he doesn’t to. The only thing worse than not having a parent was having one that didn’t care.”

“He cares,” Magnus said quietly, because he knew it to be true in the deepest part of his heart.

“He does,” she smiled. “Took him a while to realize it but he got there, didn’t he?”

Magnus nodded. 

“When I found your mother passed away…I just couldn’t let you be there all on your own. I didn’t want a piece of her all alone in a corner of the world…I talked to him. I told him to give you a chance. I told himself to give himself a chance and…Well, the rest is history.”

“I…Thank you,” Magnus said when he finally figured out what he needed to stay. “I just wanted to say thank you.”

“We are family, Magnus,” she smiled. “We take care of each other.”

Family. She was his family. He had a family. 

"I'm so glad he found you, you know," she said wistfully. "He has always been...alone. You are good for him. Just like your mother. You look like your father but...But I see her too. I see her kindness. I know she would be proud of you too."

Magnus managed to smile back – it wasn’t really hard once he got to know her.

“Your father and I will miss you at breakfast tomorrow,” she said.

“Maybe we could meet later,” Magnus said awkwardly. “I can get Hamilton tickets.”

Lilith’s eyes gleamed in the night, like two black orbs. “Yes! Yes! I would love that for us. I’m _so_ going to embarrass you. Be prepared!”

Magnus laughed. She kept waving at him until she got into the black SUV. Magnus kept waving back.

“What the fuck, Magnus?”

Magnus swivelled around to find Alec standing next to the elevator, his arms crossed at his chest.

“Alexan-”

“Don’t,” Alec raised his hand. “Don’t even try. You told me you didn’t know her!”

“I don't...I mean I didn’t!” Magnus said. “Not before today.”

“You didn’t tell me your father knew her either!” Alec accused. “How could you not know your father knew her!”

“I didn’t know!” Magnus said again. “I'm his son! Not his secretary! Alec, you know I would have told you! Why would I possibly hide something like this?”

“Well, you lied about your father for years. So, I wouldn’t put this past you,” Alec muttered.

Magnus flinched.

“I didn’t know her, Alec,” Magnus said again. “You have to trust-”

“Is this why you were so adamant she is innocent?” Alec demanded.

“Of course not! I just told you I found out about her. How could I have possibly known it back then?”

“Well, what about now?” Alec asked. “Do you still think she is innocent?”

“I-”

“Wow,” Alec laughed. “I just…I don’t see how anyone could find her to be innocent after the way she treated Jace in there.”

“What happened in there?” Magnus asked, suddenly remembering the tension earlier. “What did Jace do?”

“What di-Why do you assume Jace did something?” Alec inquired furiously. “You weren’t even there! She just started yelling at him and called him a murderer to his face.”

“Well, she must have-”

“Are you seriously trying to take her side?” Alec asked, his face incredulous. “Magnus, she is a fucking criminal.”

“No, she isn’t!” Magnus said exasperatedly. “I’ve been telling you that something is off. It isn’t her. Someone is trying to frame her. I think it might be Seelie Queen. Or ju-”

“Magnus, you can’t just clear someone just because you are related to them,” Alec groaned.

“I’m not clearing her because we are related,” Magnus sounded offended. “How could you even suggest that? I’m still the assistant district attorney. I know how to do my job.”

“Then do it,” Alec said. “Get me a search warrant. For her hotel room. There must be something we can find. Underhill could proba-”

“I’m not getting you a warrant just because you want one, Alec,” Magnus widened his eyes.

“You would have before,” Alec countered. “You would have done it if it was someone other than her. Just because you believe she is innoce-”

“She is innocent!” Magnus yelled.

“Where is the evidence?” Alec yelled back.

There were standing close to each other, breathing heavily. Magnus could feel Alec’s breath. But it still somehow felt like he was a million miles away.

In the distance, Magnus saw Lilith’s SUV finally turn on and pull out of the parking lot.

“Alexander, you can’t mess this up,” Magnus whispered. “Think about Jace. Think about yourself. Think about us. We can’t afford to make a mistake. Let Lilith go. We’ll start from the bottom again. We’ll go through every clue. We’ll try to find the killer whale. We can do-”

Alec raised his hand again and said each word slowly. “Where.Is.The.Evidence?”

Magnus closed his eyes and remembered what Cat had told him.

_Trust your gut._

“I don’t have it yet. I don’t have any evidence,” Magnus said. “I just have my gut.”

Alec was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling under his black shirt.

“Fuck your gut,” Alec said through gritted teeth. “I’m taking Lilith down.”

Magnus would never know what he would have say to that.

Because before he could tell Alec he would be making a mistake…Before he could tell Alec to think through this...Magnus heard a horrible sound. Like the sun itself exploded into a million glass shards.

Alec, whether he was acting like a cop or a boyfriend Magnus wasn’t sure, threw himself to cover Magnus. They both fell onto the floor. Magnus pushed him away and tried to sit up, his head hurt like hell from the fall. He could feel the distant pain from the concussion earlier slowly making a reappearance.

“Magnus,” Alec whispered urgently. “Baby. Magnus, are you okay?”

Magnus blinked, the smoke made his eyes water. He could hear an ambulance somewhere. It was close. Awfully close. He was still on the floor, with Alec fussing over him. Magnus couldn’t see much with the crowd that was starting to gather. His eyes were blurry. From the concussion or smoke, he didn’t know. He could see a blurry shape, black and orange ball of light glittering across the road.

Magnus rubbed his eyes and looked again.

In the distance, a black SUV was on fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wELp.
> 
> Thoughts? Come find me on tumblr @khaleesiofalicante
> 
> Fun fact: Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus' godmother.


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